


Need You Now

by SerenityTWD



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Complete, F/M, Sexual Content, Slow Burn, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-11
Updated: 2016-03-01
Packaged: 2018-03-30 01:17:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 141
Words: 355,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3917794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerenityTWD/pseuds/SerenityTWD
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the tragedy of losing Beth, Daryl and the rest of the group wander aimlessly and stumble across a town that holds the key to Daryl's past and possibly his future.</p><p> </p><p>This story will flip flop a lot, bouncing back and forth from Daryl's past and present day. I will notate at the beginging of each chapter what time frame it is, make sure to check so as to not get confused. :)</p><p>Winner of the 2016  Fanatic Fanfics Multi-Fandom Awards for All Time Favorite Walking Dead Fanfic! Thank you to whomever nominated me and to everyone that voted!!!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

  
[](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/Need%20You%20Know%20Art_zpsuqywjq8b.jpg.html)  
  


Timeline note: http://walkingdead.wikia.com/wiki/Television_Show_Timeline

Wiki has from day 1 of outbreak to Beth’s death as being 514 days. So, if you consider the sweaty outfits during S1 when Rick gets out of the hospital to the cooler nights (Ed wants a fire at the campsite because he’s cold) one in the South can assume that the time frame during the outbreak is September-ish then either late September/early October at the camp. Go forward a year and a half (roughly 514 days) and that would put them currently in late February/early March, which holds fairly true due to the outfits they have on. Since we aren’t given a year either, I am assuming it is 2010 when the outbreak occurs since that is the year the show started…therefore, “The Present” I refer to will be starting late February 2012. 

Pay attention to the dates or time frame I post at the start of each chapter to keep up with the dates. 

 

Chapter 1

The present, Sunday, February 19th, 2012

She was heavy in his arms. The dead weight of Beth’s body strained against his arms and threatened to spill on to the ground. Daryl struggled to hold her close, his body weak from the emotional damage of seeing Beth die; watching the bullet rip through her head before she tumbled to the floor in the hospital at their feet. His stomach still churned; the acrid scent of burning gun powder combined with the cloying chemical smell from disinfectant mixing together to form a pungent scent.

He tried to be strong. Tried to keep the pain at bay, forcing it down so that it didn’t rip through his soul with a crushing force. He was so tired of losing people. But, he could not do it. Giving in, Daryl let the emotions swirling inside his body burst forth and slice through his heart; his heart that somehow managed to still beat in his chest, despite being broken. Beth, his Beth, was dead. They had grown so close after the prison and now she was gone, because he had failed her again. He had promised to protect her, to keep her safe, but he did not keep his promise in the end. Tears streamed down his face as he focused on not dropping her, not letting Beth fall to the ground, keeping her held as tightly as possible against his chest.

The sunlight beat down on him as he approached the rest of their family, but even the golden rays could not banish the darkness swirling inside him. Daryl vaguely recalled the sight of Maggie falling to the ground beside him in tears. He paid Maggie’s pain no attention, tuned out her wails of despair, as he walked right past her with a blind eye. His mission now was to lay Beth to rest; to send her to a place he had no doubt she would go. It was time for her to join her father in Heaven.

One foot in front of the other, Daryl focused on his mission and held on to her with all of his strength. Rick was beside him now, but he could not focus on what his brother was trying to say to him…he couldn't stop and put Beth down. Not now. He couldn't fail Beth now, not after he had messed up and let her die.

Rick’s hand was on his bicep now, urging Daryl to stop and let the group process what had happened, to let them put a plan together before they hauled off in to the city. But, he couldn't. Didn't Rick understand that? How could Rick not understand the need to lay his Beth to rest? To protect her from further harm? He felt Rick’s hand on his arm again, heavy and insistent, and this time the force behind the hold caused his distraught body to waver. Daryl cursed, his voice hoarse, as his body refused to hold steady and remain on its course. His knees were weak, trembling with the weight of the world, and he finally had to give in to their desire to crumble from the emotion. Sobbing, tears streaming down his face, Daryl struggled to hold her tight against his body as he sank to the ground.

On his knees, Daryl choked on his tears as her body slid from his grasp. Laying on the ground in front of him, her long blonde hair was a stark contrast against the black top of the pavement and the dark gashes on her face popped brightly against the paleness of her skin. Daryl’s chest heaved as he gasped for a breath between the tears and he stared blankly down at the smears of crimson blood brushed across his forearm.

They were crowding around him. Daryl could feel their presence even though he could not see them. Hunkered down, kneeling over where Beth lay on the pavement, the sounds of the voices swirled around him as he reached out to pull her back in to his arms. The dull roar of his family’s concern was broken by Maggie’s cries of pain, the wails of emotion as she desperately fought to break through the protective barrier the other’s had formed between her and where Daryl was holding her sister. Tears still on his face, his hair stuck in the salty wetness of their wake and his face a mask of his pain, Daryl turned in her direction with a growl of defiance.

“She’s my sister!” Maggie howled as she fought against Glenn’s hold; clawing at him to let her out of his grasp so she could be with Beth. “Let me see her!”

Daryl lashed out against Maggie’s approach as she finally broke through her husband’s arms and raced across the parking lot to fall to her knees beside Beth. She had no right to be at her sister’s side, no right to grieve when she had given up on her baby sister from the start. If Maggie and the others had postponed their trip, their group would have been stronger. They could have stormed the hospital the way Rick wanted to do so from the get go. They could have rescued Beth and killed every single one of the fucker’s that were holding her hostage. But, no, Maggie had given up hope and with that loss she had condemned her sister to death, at least in his mind.

Awkwardly, Daryl pulled Beth in to his arms and tried to stand on shaky legs. He stumbled and they fell once more, her body tumbling out of his arms as he felt to the ground behind her. On his hands on his knees beside her, Daryl sobbed as he sank down to further to rest his head on Beth’s chest; his hands slipped around her lifeless body and held tightly as he wept against the soft gray material of her tattered and torn sweater.

Rick crouched behind where Daryl was crumpled across Beth’s body. He watched hopelessly as his brother, by loyalty and not blood, poured out his heart and let loose the pain that resided there. He had stood by for years and watched Daryl stand strong, almost resistant to the harshness of the world and gripping reality of daily loss that they had all experienced. Rick knew that reigning in your feelings, holding on to your emotions so tight would eventually cause that resistance to break and spill out; which was what Daryl was dealing with now. Brushing a hand across his beard, Rick surveyed their group and took in the crushed expressions on their faces, the looks of loss and heartache that lived there now, and wondered where they could possibly go from here?


	2. Chapter 2

The present: starts out Sunday, February 19-mid chapter goes to Saturday, March 3rd

 

Night was falling around Daryl as he stared blankly down at the mound of dirt that blanketed Beth’s freshly dug grave. His eyes were raw and red from crying, but were dry now as he his emotionally drained body could no longer produce tears. Sitting beside her grave, he leaned against the base of a tree and looked at the crudely fashioned cross that stood watch over Beth and wished he could have given her a better marker than what he had been able to make out of broken church pews. Beth deserved better than what he had made. She always deserved more than what he was able to give her.

How did he always let down the ones he cared for, the ones that deserved more than what he could offer?

Exhausted, he leaned his head back against the rough bark of the pine tree and stared up in to the night sky. He could hear their raised voices as they argued inside the church, but had no interest in going inside to join his family. He had known all along that the race to find the cure had been nothing but a pipe dream, although he could have never imagined that the notion was nothing but pure fabrication on Eugene’s part. Had his mind and heart not been preoccupied with Beth’s death, grief over losing her taking precedence over everything else, Daryl might have otherwise gone inside to join the fight. Instead, he stayed outside with Beth, although she was no longer there with him. Finally, sometime during the night, Daryl succumbed to the emotional drain of the day and let exhaustion wash over him as he slipped into a fitful slumber on the hardened dirt.

The next morning, he was awakened by the feeling of someone standing over him. Felt the weight of their stare, the cool air in their shadow as they blocked whatever warmth the rising sun could offer, and came awake with a start to find Maggie staring down at him. Daryl glared up at her as he pulled himself to a sitting position and leaned back against the tree once more. Avoiding her gaze, he looked down at the blood smears that stained his dirty skin and wiped at the dried marks even though he knew they would not come off.

“You loved her, didn't you?” Maggie asked, her voice little more than a whisper as she sank to the ground beside Daryl. When he did not respond, she looked over to him and tried to make eye contact, but Daryl refused to do so and looked away towards the woods. “I’m not asking what happened between you two, I’m just saying you cared for her, right? I mean, you've never been this upset over losing someone before.”

“You don’t know shit about how I’ve felt.” Daryl bit out, his voice gruff and thick from crying so much the day before. “Damn well cared more about her than you. Cared enough to find her, try to save her. All you care about is Glenn and running off on some fantasy about a cure. Don’t come over here poking your fucking nose in my business.”

“You know that’s not true!” Maggie cried and followed suit as Daryl shoved off the ground. “I loved Beth! She’s my baby sister! And you wouldn’t even let me near her yesterday! What gives you the fucking right?”

“How about the fact that I took care of her? I went after her! Me and Carol! You hopped on the goddamned bus! More than damn content on letting her rot. You knew she was out there! I told you!” Daryl shouted at her; releasing all the pent up anger that he had let fester inside since Beth was kidnapped. “I fucking told you!”

“I couldn’t get my hopes up! Damn you!” Maggie screamed, tears finally giving way to fall down her cheeks liberally. “I lost my dad! Had to watch him be murdered in front of me. Then we all got lost, and let myself forget, ok? I let myself forget about Beth, because she wasn’t strong enough to make it. Not the Beth I knew.”

“She was always strong. You just didn’t see it.” Daryl felt the sadness wash over him again, felt his anger slip away as he watched the tears fall down Maggie’s face. Although he would never admit it openly, he had never been able to stay mad at a woman when she cried. His shoulders dropped in defeat as the will to fight dissipated between the both of them and Maggie ended up leaned against him as she cried. Beth was in his mind when Daryl lifted his arms to wrap them around Maggie, knowing that was what her sister would have wanted him to do.

The events of the past several days had been so catastrophic that they had mentally and physically drained Daryl. After watching Beth die, putting her body into the ground, after losing yet another person he cared about in life, his heart was not in the fight anymore. Blindly, he followed his family on their quest to find a place to call home, but he was just going through the motions at this point. Walking by day, camping by night, he robotically followed his family for days on end; exhausted both mentally and physically. His feet felt heavy, like he was stepping in thick mud as he trudged behind the rest of the group. Slowly, with every step, the distance between where he pulled up the rear of their caravan and the rest of the group grew significantly. Exhausted, he somehow managed to put one foot in front of the other and follow along, although his attention was anywhere but his surroundings. In his mind, he replayed the scene from the hospital over and over in his head wondering if there was something he could have done different to change the outcome; to save Beth instead of burying her. It was his lack of concentration that caused him to miss the signs. Head down, he missed the perfect placement of the broken down cars, the litter free streets, the clean windows on the buildings at the edge of town. With his mind focusing on other things, he followed his group directly in to a trap without a second thought.

They were past the first set of vehicles that were placed in the perfect position to funnel people directly down the middle of the street when his mind registered what was going on, but not soon enough to backpedal everyone to safety. Within a few moments, they were surrounded by enough men with guns to make their group of thirteen, plus a baby, halt instantaneously.

“Lower your weapons, please.” One of the men said loudly, his rifle pointed directly at Rick’s head. “Do as you say and no one gets hurt.”

“We’re not looking for trouble.” Rick stated, calm in the face of danger. Lowering his revolver, he kept it in his hand instead of putting it back in to his holster just in case a need arose for him to use it. With Carl at his back and Judith not far away in Tyrese’s hands, the last thing Rick wanted to do was give the men any reason to open fire. “Thought this place was empty.”

“State your business.” Another man barked out, his expression wary behind the semi-automatic rifle in his hands.

“Making our way south, trying to find a place to set up camp. Possibly find a place to stay permanently.” Rick motioned with his free hand to the people behind him and continued, “We have children and injured, and we just want to find a place to stay for a bit and thought this might be it. If you’ll lower your weapons, we’ll turn around and go elsewhere.”

Looking past the man to his left, Daryl scanned the nearby buildings and noticed they felt familiar to him. He had lived in many places over the years, albeit none of them outside Georgia, and this small town looked like several of the ones he had called home since walking out of his parent’s house at eighteen. Feeling a set of eyes on him, Daryl turned his head a little further to the left to find one of the men staring at him intently. Figuring it was just because he was a stranger, Daryl turned his head back to where Rick was talking to what appeared to be the leader in the group.

“How many are injured?” The man asked Rick without bothering to lower his weapon as suggested.

“Three. One got a nail through the foot a few days ago, another with a swollen ankle and the other has a head injury.” Rick gestured to where Eugene was at the back of the group; the less than physically stellar man was looking even worse than he had yesterday with his pasty skin and glazed expression.

“Ok then.” The man gestured to the others in his group to lower their weapons and moved closer to Rick. “We have an infirmary at the other end of the street. Ya’ll are more than welcome to stay until everyone is healed. We aren’t any threat to you or yours unless you threaten or harm one of ours. Just need to take you up to the head of town to get permission.”

“We’d appreciate that, but to be honest, we aren’t putting aside our weapons. We’ve had some hard times and we can’t go further if you want us to give up our protection.” Rick put his revolver in to his holster to show that he both meant no harm and that he had no intentions of handing it over to anyone.

“All of our citizens are armed. We expect everyone to keep the town safe.” The man held out his hand and offered to shake Rick’s hand, a gesture that had long since died out due to the outbreak. “The name is Bruce Harper.”

“Rick.” Reaching out to shake the man’s hand, Rick smiled but kept his eyes open for any possible danger. Bruce seemed friendly enough, then again, so did the people at Terminus, at first anyway. With his white beard and balding head he looked a lot like Hershel, but was heavier set. “Rick Grimes. And this, well, they’re my family. There’s a lot of us, you sure we can trouble you for a few days? The ones of us that aren’t injured are more than willing to help out however we can.”

“Appreciate that. We’ve had some come in and get a meal, decent night’s sleep and shower before vanishing without so much as a thank you.” Bruce took the lead as they down the empty street towards what appeared to be some type of municipal building at the end, leaving the other members of his guard out on the streets to continue patrolling. “This here town came together after the outbreak. Really formed something nice, of course, we was always a close knit community. After we realized what was happening, some of us went to the co-op and gathered materials to secure the town, keep those lurkers out. We’ve got men on post around the area, plus a moving patrol that makes the rounds to keep things safe. We’re really just good old country folk trying to make a go at a life of some sorts, you know? There’s bad folk out there now, but here…well, we just want to go back to close to normal as we can.”

Everything in Daryl’s brain was screaming that this was a trap and he figured that everyone else was having the same type of thoughts. He couldn’t for the life of him wrap his mind around why Rick was leading them further in to the town, instead of running for safety in the proverbial hills. Picking up his pace, Daryl closed in on Rick and grabbed his arm to try to get him to slow down. “What are you doing? We need to get the hell outta here. Ain’t nothing but a trap?”

“Now, ya’ll are more than welcome to turn around and go elsewhere. We ain’t trying nothing or mean no harm. But, you’re more than welcome to get your friends some medical attention, have a good meal, maybe a decent night’s sleep and head out in the morning. Ain’t no skin off my teeth, son. We’re just trying to be good Christian folk and do what’s right.” Bruce motioned towards the building at the end of the street that was lit up against the rapidly darkening sky. “That’s our town hall and we’re having a bit of a party there tonight. Couple of our young lovebirds getting hitched. There’s plenty of food, but I understand if ya’ll want to go…can’t be too careful out there nowadays.”

“I really think we should at least stay the night, but I will leave it up to everyone else.” Rick turned to his family and said, “We’ve been through hell and there’s not any reason in the world to trust these people, not after Terminus. Not after the hospital. But, we vote on it.”

Daryl could not believe his eyes as one by one the members of his group voted to stay the night; everyone but Carol and himself opting for the promise of food and a bed instead of their safety. He shook his head in disbelief at their decision, but stuck with them as they made their way towards the municipal building with himself and Carol bringing up the rear.

Bruce opened the heavy wooden door and went inside first so that the newcomers might feel a bit more at ease with the situation. While he had not been outside their town since the outbreak, the younger members of the community doing most of the scavenging runs, he had heard horror stories about the way the living members of the world were acting. He could not imagine being out in the world the way it was now and was thankful that his community had banded together to form a safe haven for its members. Thankfully, the town council had applied for and received at least a small amount of money through a grant to install solar power in the municipal building. While there wasn't enough panels to do more than provide lights in the kitchen and auditorium, as well as power a refrigerator and freezer, it was more than enough to offer at least a modicum of normalcy during meal times and celebrations.

As he walked down the marble hallway, the sounds from within the former conference room brought a smile to his face. The sounds of his community members having a good time, celebrating the marriage of two young people and dancing to good music warmed his heart. He honestly could not imagine being anywhere, in any other town, than where he was now. Born and raised in Collins, Bruce figured it would not be long before his age caught up with him and he died there, too.

The melodic sounds of a band filtered down the hallway and Daryl was suddenly taken by the angelic voice that sang along with the band. A memory flashed through his mind, the sound of her voice hit him like a ton of bricks as a ghost from his past taunted him from down the hall. Slinging his crossbow over his back, Daryl picked up his pace and cleared the hallway in a few long strides and pulled open one of the doors so hard that there were gasps as he startled a few people sitting along the edge of the room. Stopped in his tracks, he stared at the stage with wide eyes filled with disbelief as the woman on stage sang to the couple in the center of the dance floor; as she sang a song he recalled hearing once upon a time in another life.

“You can hear it in the silence…silence…You can feel it on the way home…way home….You can see it with the lights out…lights out….You are in love, true love…You are in love.”

Samantha opened her eyes at the end of the chorus and smiled down to where the happy couple was dancing, wrapped in one another’s arms and totally engrossed in one another, and only had a fleeting feeling of jealousy wash over her. Tapping her foot to the rhythm of the song, she strummed her guitar and took a deep breath to prepare for the next verse when movement at the edge of the room caught her attention. Her breath hitched as she realized who it was her eyes had searched out and landed on. Time had aged him, his hair was darker and a lot longer than it had been when she knew him before. A bruise darkened his right eye, but that was not anything new for him as he had always been one to jump in to a fight without thinking. But there, beneath the disheveled mop of hair, the battle wounds and years that had passed between them, Sam knew in her heart who he was. Her eyes pricked with tears and she suddenly felt light headed as he moved towards her. She missed the start of the next verse as her attention was forced elsewhere and the person to her right hissed her name to get her attention. Shaking her head, she forced her eyes away from where he stood, sure that her eyes were playing tricks on her, and returned to the song.

“And so it goes…You two are dancing in a snow globe round and round…And he keeps a picture of you in his office downtown…And you understand now why they lost their minds and fought the wars…And why I’ve spent my whole life trying to put it into words…”

Frozen in place, mesmerized by the sound of her voice and shocked to the core that she was even in his sight, Daryl took a tentative step forward as the woman on stage dropped her guitar and bolted from the stage the moment the song was finished. Intent on following her, he was stopped suddenly when someone grabbed hold of his right arm. Turning his head sharply, he looked in to the man’s face and was instantly transported to a day many years ago when the same man at his side had done the exact thing to him.

“Never thought you had enough balls to show back up here, Dixon.” The man snarled at him in obvious disgust, not that Daryl blamed him. “She doesn’t want to see you.”

“Then she can tell me that herself, Bo.” Daryl yanked his arm away from the meaty grasp of James Beauregard Collins, the former Lieutenant of the Collins Police Department.

It was no wonder the town had looked so familiar to him earlier since he had lived here many years ago. In one of the many pit stops of his life, Daryl had once found himself living in the town of Collins, Ga, located only a few short hours south of Atlanta if one was driving, but took a couple of days if you were traveling by foot with injured people and a baby. Named after the family that moved here back when the natives were running around, Collins had offered him his first real hope at a stable and happy life, which he went and fucked up royally. Fucking things up, making a mess, screwing people over…it was what he did, after all.

There was once a time in his life that Daryl Dixon would have just thrown a punch and went about his business, but he had changed over the years. Taking a step back from Bo, Daryl raised his hands in front of him in surrender and reminded him of the situation.

“She’s my wife, Bo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you've probably realized, this is one of those sing songy stories. LOL Any song that I use in this story is clearly not mine and belongs to the writers/singers/bands that I list. Also, as my dear bestie, DeadFan8, wanted me to point out that while this is rated NC-17 it is a slooooow burn and will take a while to get to the good/naughty stuff. Patience! :)
> 
> **Song by Tyler Swift: You Are In Love**


	3. Chapter 3

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

Friday, June 4th, 1999

The sun was shining high in the sky and beating down on her bare shoulders as Samantha Collins drove along the busy highway with Camaro with the T-tops off, as she made her way to her hometown for summer break. Singing loudly, she belted out the lyrics to her current favorite song as she sang along with the radio and strummed her fingers on the steering wheel. After passing the dreaded week of finals with flying colors, thus ensuring that she did not receive a lecture the moment she walked through the door, Sam was flying high and felt on top of the world as she crossed the county line and sign that proclaimed her hometown was a short twenty three miles away. Cranking the radio higher, she momentarily thought that life was good and there was not anything that could ruin the day, when fate stepped in and sent her day quickly downhill. A loud pop followed by steam pouring out from beneath the hood of her car sent her quickly towards the shoulder of the road with a series of colorful curses spewing from her mouth.

After turning the car off and checking for approaching traffic, Sam popped the hood and crawled out from the low slung car to inspect the damage; as if she knew anything about cars other than to put gas in it to make it to go. Walking around to the front, she at least knew enough to use the hem of her dress to cover her hand when she lifted up the hood since it would be hot thanks to the blown radiator. Once the hood was lifted, Sam stared down at the hissing and bubbling radiator with a grimace and sighed in frustration. She still had a long way to go to get home and there was not a pay phone anywhere in the area she was in. Standing up, she lightly kicked the front end of the bright red car and growled in anger. The last thing she wanted to do today was walk all the way in to town, much less in her brand new sandals.

Thankfully though, the kindness of strangers in the south paid off and someone came to her rescue as she was grabbing her purse out of the passenger seat and locking up the car. Looking towards the rear of her car, Sam found that her proverbial knight in shining armor came in the form of a man on a motorcycle. Dressed in a pair of dark pants with a rip in one knee and a shirt smeared here and there with oil, her knight in shining armor was not her normal cup of tea, but for some reason her heart skipped a beat when he took off his helmet. Hidden beneath the helmet was the most attractive man she had seen in a long time, in spite of the messy hair and grease that was smudged across his cheekbone.

“Need some help?” He asked her in a gruff voice as he hung his helmet on the handlebars and stepped around the bumper to come closer to where Sam stood.

“Pretty sure the radiator blew.” Sam said and pointed to the front of the car where steam was still seeping out of the radiator.

“Where you headed?” He asked as he brushed past her and went to the front of her car to inspect the engine bay. When she answered his question, saying she was headed to Collins, he leaned around the edge of the hood and gave her a half smile. “Guess's it's your lucky day then. That’s where I’m heading.”

“Oh. Um, that’s great. Think maybe you could go somewhere and call a wrecker for me?” Samantha was graced with a great deal of manners, but she knew well enough not to accept candy from strangers.

“I can get you one. Gonna be a bit though.” He stood up and stepped back to where she was standing as he wiped his hands on an old red rag before stuffing it back in his pocket. “I work over at Swain’s. They got a wrecker. Can give you a ride now, if you want?”

“Thanks for the offer, but my daddy would skin my hide if I just jumped on your bike with you.” Samantha smiled and pushed her sunglasses back to rest on top of her head so she could get a better look at him. “But, I would greatly appreciate a ride in your wrecker.”

“Aight. Give me about half an hour, more or less.” He nodded once to her before walking back to his motorcycle. Once his helmet was on, the bike roared to life and he was gone before she could change her mind.

About half an hour later, Samantha was sitting in her car singing to herself to keep occupied, when a wrecker crossed the median to pull in behind her. Grabbing her purse once more, she jumped out of the car and slammed it behind her. He quickly hooked up her car and before long she was climbing in to the cab beside him.

“Thank you for this. I was not looking forward to that walk. My name is Samantha, by the way.” Buckling the seat belt, she smiled in his direction as she introduced herself, but was met with the back of his head as he looked out the side window.

“Daryl.” He mumbled without looking her way as his attention was focused on pulling out in to traffic; not that there was a lot of it, but with her car on the back he had to be even more careful. “Mr. Swain said I should take you home first. Said to put it on your bill, too.”

“He really is just the nicest. Have you worked there long?” Sam dug around in her purse in hopes of locating the new cotton candy flavored lip gloss she had purchased the day before and almost yelped with happiness when she located it.

“Nah. Couple of months. Just moved there.” Daryl peeked at her from the side of his eye and watched as she slicked her lips with some sort of sweet smelling concoction. He had to admit that she was the best looking woman he had ever rescued from the side of the highway since taking the job at the garage; although not usually the type he went for; which tended to lean towards the ones he found in bars with dark hair, gobs of makeup, revealing clothes and tattoos. Nope, this one was scrubbed clean of makeup, unless you counted lip gloss, with long blonde hair that fell damn near to the middle of her back and was dressed modestly in a flowery sundress. Daryl couldn’t be sure about the tattoos though, but the areas of skin he could see appeared to be free of ink. He could say with surety though that when she turned to face him and flashed a grin in his direction, he decided right then and there that she was absolutely stunning…and most definitely out of his league.

“Well, nice to meet you, Daryl.” Sam leaned back against the seat and soaked up the air conditioning. “Welcome to the most boring town in the history of all towns.”

Once they crossed in to Collins, Daryl let her navigate the way to her house and was not the least bit shocked when it turned out to be in what was considered to be the well-to-do section of the small town. Pulling up in front of the old two-story white colonial style house with massive columns and bright red shutters decorating the numerous windows across the front, he found himself walking around to the passenger side of the wrecker and opening the door for Samantha; a move he could not recall doing ever before in his life.

“Thanks again, Daryl.” Samantha had to actually force herself to not lean in and kiss the man on the cheek after he opened the door for her. She turned towards the walkway and was about to head up to the house when she remembered the luggage in the car. “Oh shoot. Um, I have stuff in there. Will it be too hard to get my bag out of the backseat or should I just come to the garage?”

“Um, no…I can get it.” Daryl pondered the situation for a moment as this was not a typical response to someone having items in the car. Usually he just told them to come get them at the garage and was done with it. Instead, with her, he found himself crawling up on to the back of the wrecker and finagling it so he could pull out the bag from the backseat. “That all?”

“Yes, thanks!” Samantha graciously took the bag that contained only the few items she had decided she could not live without while on summer break; which basically just amounted to a few dresses and shoes, the other items having been packed away in a storage unit. She shoved the strap on to her shoulder and turned yet again to go to the house when his voice stopped her.

“What about the guitar?” Daryl called down to her as she walked away.

“Crap! I swear, I would lose my head if it weren’t attached to my neck.” Samantha blushed profusely at her forgetfulness and rushed over to take the case from Daryl. "Definitely going to need that.”

“Play much?” Daryl jumped down from the back of the wrecker to stand awkwardly at the end of the walkway. As he did in any number of situations that made him nervous, Daryl lifted his right hand to his face so he could chew on the edge of his thumbnail.

“Yeah actually. Are you going to the fair this weekend? I’m playing there tomorrow night, you know, if maybe you want to come by?” Samantha’s heart beat wildly in her chest as she waited for him to answer. She had never been so forward with a guy in her life and did not know what was coming over her in regards to this one.

“Ain’t planned on it, bit old for the fair.” Daryl shoved his hands in his pockets so that he would quit chewing on his nail, not failing to notice the way she looked at him as he gnawed on his thumb. “But, yeah, maybe I’ll stop by.”

Samantha was on the verge of breaking her face if her smile got any wider and somehow managed to say her goodbyes to Daryl; thanking him again in the process. She watched as he climbed back in to his truck and headed back in to town with her car in tow. Before turning to go in to the house, Sam said a silent prayer that he would actually show up to hear her sing the next night and gave one last look over her shoulder as he finally disappeared from sight. Finally allowing the squeal of excitement to escape, she ran up the walkway and went in to the house, slammed the door and leaned back against it with the giant grin still on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments and kudos so far!


	4. Chapter 4

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

Present Day, Saturday evening, March 3rd, 2012

Daryl forced himself to remain calm, knowing that provoking Bo Collins into a fight would lead to nothing but trouble and would not make it easier to see Sam. But, looking at the sneer on the older man’s face was definitely making it difficult to do. Taking a deep breath, Daryl tried again, “Come on, Bo. I ain’t seen her in years, didn’t even know she’d made it. Least you can do is let me talk to her.”

“She’s busy right now, son.” Sam’s father said from behind Daryl; his booming voice unmistakable even after all these years. “Best you and your friends go on now. Get some food, shower, whatever else you need. There’s no reason to cause a scene tonight.”

“He’s right, Daryl.” Rick stepped up and put his hand on Daryl’s shoulder in hopes that he could convince him to go along with the plan. “Let’s just step outside and let these folks get back to their party. No sense in causing a scene.”

Daryl turned to look at Rick and caught the shocked and confused expressions not only on the faces of the members of his group, but on all the guests around him. The music had stopped when Sam bolted from the stage and now the room was filled with a deafening silence as everyone tried to see what was going on and waited to see what was going to happen. Giving in, Daryl’s shoulders dropped in defeat and he sighed in disgust. He certainly did not blame Samantha for not wanting to see him after all he had put her through, but Daryl had never been one to readily accept someone telling him what he was and was not going to do. 

Rick watched as Daryl stormed out of the conference room, the door slamming angrily in his wake, and was at a loss at what to do. Carol, however, jumped to action and went after Daryl, so Rick turned back to the two men that were still standing beside him. “I, uh, well…not sure what’s going on exactly, but I feel like I should apologize.”

“It’s not your place to make amends for what your friend does or does not do, son.” James “Big Jim” Collins replied as he smoothed a shaking hand over his salt and pepper beard, which weighed heavier on the salt than the pepper these days. “I gather you weren’t aware that Daryl had ties to the community?”

“No sir. We were making our way south, leaving Atlanta, and stumbled across this place. Daryl never mentioned anything, but he had a bad loss recently, we all lost someone important. His mind hasn’t been exactly focused since then, didn’t seem to realize where we were until he heard the young woman singing.” Rick paused and glanced towards the stage where the band was starting to play again sans their lead singer. “Didn’t even know he was married, but Daryl’s not one for oversharing.”

“I imagine there’s a lot about Daryl that you don’t know. Might be time to figure some of those things out, see who you’re traveling with.” Jim turned to his eldest son and said, “Bo, go check on Sam. Make sure she’s ok.”

Once Bo had disappeared, Jim continued, “James Collins, but most people around here call me “Big Jim”. That was my boy, Bo, and as you probably already figured out, that’s my daughter, Samantha, on stage.”

“Rick Grimes. Nice to meet you.” Rick shook the elderly man’s hand before he turned to gesture towards his group and quickly ran through their names. “We appreciate ya’ll taking us in for the night, if we’re still allowed, that is.”

“Nice to meet ya’ll and yes, of course you’re still welcome. I’ve tried my best to run that boy off more than once and know from experience the more I tell him to go away, the higher the chances he’ll stick around like a burr in my backside.” Jim sighed at the thought of his baby girl having to deal with the only man that had ever broken her heart lurking around, making things difficult for her. There was only so much a father could do to protect his little girl though. “Why don’t I get someone to show you where to clean up and I’ll have some food brought out for you?”

“Sir, I hate to be nosy, but is that Sam Collins? As in, THE Sam Collins?” Maggie stepped up to ask curiously as she eyeballed the stage where the woman from before had just returned with her brother following behind protectively. She was fairly certain that her suspicions were correct, but it had been easily five years since one of her favorite performers had disappeared from the stage. 

“Yes ma’am, it is. I take it you’re a fan?” Jim smiled proudly as the pretty young lady stared wide eyed at his daughter. “Looks like she’s going to start singing again. If you want to go shower and come back, I guess that’d be fine since you’re a fan and all. Heck, ya’ll can all come back so long as Daryl stays out, don’t want to upset Sam any further tonight.”

“Yes sir, thank you!” Maggie eagerly agreed, but with tears shimmering in her eyes. “Oh, man, Beth would have loved this.” While Sam Collins had quickly become one of her favorite singers, it had been her baby sister that had introduced her to the performer years ago. Turning her attention back to Jim, she explained, “My baby sister, Beth, died recently. She used to listen to Sam’s CD’s nonstop when she was little.”

“I’m sorry to hear about your sister.” Jim motioned for one of the women near the food table to come over. “This here’s Cassie, she’ll take you guys to get cleaned up, show you where to put your stuff.”

Once they were outside, Rick chose to stay behind with Daryl instead, sending Carol along with the others to get cleaned up. One look at the man he considered to be his brother and Rick could tell that the mood he was in was far more volatile than previously imagined. He strolled over to where Daryl was furiously pacing up and down the sidewalk near the stairs and opened his mouth to ask how he was doing, when the woman assigned to be their guide brushed past him to stop right in Daryl’s tracks.

“Never thought I'd see the day you'd show back up here...clearly you've got bigger balls than I thought.” Cassie Delaney glared at Daryl; shooting daggers at him with her dark eyes. When Daryl stopped within arms distance from her, she balled up her fist and smacked the shit out of the man that broke her best friend’s heart. Hell, she had warned him about the consequences of doing as such back when Daryl had first started seeing Samantha; it’s not like he had any right to be surprised. Shaking her hand, Cassie cursed and stomped her foot. “Sonofabitch! That hurt worse than I remembered. But, damn if you didn’t deserve it.”

“Fuck woman!” Daryl cupped his hand over his busted nose and felt warm blood seep out between his fingers. Even though his eyes were watering from the pain, Daryl was able to see Rick well enough and held out his other hand to motion for the man that everything was alright. “Don’t, it’s ok, Rick.”

“She break it?” Rick asked as he leaned against the railing of the stairs after Cassie turned and stomped off in the direction of where the others had headed. “Heck of a right hook, that one.”

“Always had one, ain't never been on the receiving end of it though.” Daryl wiped his nose and wiggled it gingerly to test and see if it was in deed broken. “Nah, ain’t broken. She’s clearly out of practice.”

“Alright then…care to explain what’s going on then?” He watched as Daryl dug in his pocket, no doubt in search of a cigarette, but came up empty handed. “Did you know where we were earlier? Back when we first got here?”

“Looked familiar, but no. Lived too many damned places, they all look alike after a while.” Daryl gave up his search for a smoke and sank on to the stairs beside Rick. “Shit. Talk about fucked up.”

“So, you’re married?” Rick pushed away from the railing and walked around to join Daryl on the stairwell. “What’s the story there? Want to talk about it?”

“Hell, you know the story. Girl throws her life away, marries some redneck who ain’t good enough for her. Might’ve been a shotgun involved, but don’t change the outcome much.” Daryl shrugged and looked at Rick. “Walked out on her. Ain’t seen her in years.”

“Yeah, that much I gathered. Well, what do you want to do? Balls in your court, brother.” Rick gestured towards the building they were sitting in front of. “Go back in there? Leave? I’ll let you make that decision.”

Daryl did not answer straight away. Of course part of him wanted to march right back inside and force Samantha to talk to him, but the other part of him did not want to cause her any more pain, more embarrassment. Looking up at the stars in the night sky, he was reminded of a night not long ago when he had finally told someone his well-guarded secret. The night at the bootlegger’s shack when he and Beth had sat on the porch of the dilapidated building, drank moonshine and spilled their deepest darkest secrets to one another. Somehow, most likely due to the mason jar of liquor he had already drank, Daryl had found himself telling Beth about his failed marriage. He had filled her in on the great love of his life and how he had managed to single-handedly fuck it up royally and ended up breaking his wife’s heart and proving her family right about him. Daryl had never came out and confessed who his wife was specifically, since he was more than aware that Beth was a fan of Sam’s, but that night he had finally broken his silence and confessed to the secret he had kept guarded in his heart for so long. Beth’s words rang in his mind as he stared up at the star sprinkled darkened sky and Daryl could not help but feel a wave of sadness wash over him at the thought of her. 

_“You’re a different person now, Daryl. I know that, I can see it in you. We aren’t just our past…we’re our future, too. It’s just too bad she can’t see you now, to see what I see in you.”_ Daryl recalled Beth’s words with clarity, could still hear her soft voice speaking to him in the darkness, and knew what he had to do.

“Got too much shit to fix to leave.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, since the other story is complete I will be posting this story on the Sunday/Tuesday schedule for now. When it's finished, I will try to post more because only posting twice a week will take a year to fully post it and that's insane. LOL
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and reviews!!!!


	5. Chapter 5

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

The present: Still Saturday evening, March 3rd, 2012

After Eugene, Noah and Father Gabriel were left in the hands of the resident doctor in the makeshift infirmary that had been set up in a building near the town hall, the others were directed towards a store that held racks of clothing that had been collected from clothing stores and residences in the area, as well as on scavenging runs. 

“Ya’ll go ahead and find something that fits and I’ll take you over to the gym for a shower.” Cassie said after she introduced herself, and then used her flashlight to locate the lanterns and lit a few before leaning against the counter to inspect her hand.

“Probably should have medical take a look at that.” Carol said as she looked over at Cassie’s hand. “That doesn’t look too good. What happened?”

“Just followed through on a promise I made a long time ago.” Cassie had no intentions of elaborating since Daryl was part of this woman’s group. “It’ll be fine. Not the first guy I’ve punched in my life, doubt it will be the last. I’m going to step outside, ya’ll holler if you need anything.”

Carol watched as the young woman stepped back out in to the street before turning around to find some clothes. Stepping over to a rack where Maggie was going through a section of shirts. “It’ll be nice to have some new clothes for once.”

“Been a while, that’s for sure. So, that lady, she hit Daryl? That’s brave of her.” Maggie grabbed a long sleeved red shirt and turned to face Carol. “Did you know he was married? To Sam Collins, nonetheless?”

“He never said anything to me about it.” Carol snagged a random shirt off the hanger and held it up against her to see if it might fit; not caring about what it looked like. She was still reeling from finding out that Daryl was married and could not help but feel like she had been betrayed by the secret. Over the years, she had confided in him her fears and her desires and thought he had done the same. She had heard about his childhood abuse, about his drunken father, how his mother had died and his love hate relationship with his brother. How could he not tell her that he was married? “So, you’ve heard of his wife? Know who she is?”

“Daddy took me and Beth to one of her concerts after we begged him for weeks about it. Beth was a huge fan, made me listen to her music so much that I eventually fell for it myself. She was never Faith Hill type of famous, but she was on her way there for a while, then just disappeared from the scene. Cancelled her tour and appearances, never put out another album. Broke Beth’s heart.” Maggie grabbed a pair of jeans and underwear from the bin that was filled with various styles of panties and bras. “You gonna come back with me to watch?”

“Yeah, I guess so.” Carol followed suit and picked out appropriate undergarments. She figured Daryl would not be in the mood for company, certainly would not want to talk about what was going on, so she might as well check out his estranged wife; see what all the fuss was about.

“Daryl’s really married? Anyone else really thrown by that? I mean, I kind of sort of assumed he was…you know,” Glenn blushed so profusely that his reddened cheeks blazed in the dimly lit room. 

“Gay? You thought Daryl was attracted to men? Seriously?” Maggie chuckled and handed him a baseball hat she had found on one of the racks; knowing Glenn missed his dearly. “He clearly had something going on with my baby sister, which I have no desire to know anything about.”

Once everyone had located clothing, and they had all thoroughly discussed the events of the evening, Cassie led them to the next building that was a fitness facility in a previous life. Rows of useless cardio machines lined the front room, their weary images reflecting back to them in the mirrors that hung on the wall as they made their way to the showers at the back of the building. Once there, Cassie sat her lantern on the sink and pointed towards the wall of lockers, “There’s towels in those. Feel free to use whatever is back there to clean up. We've got it rigged up with rainwater and pumps, it's a pain in the ass, but at least it's a shower, right? Wish I could say it was warm water, but it’ll at least get you clean.”

While a hot shower would have definitely been more welcomed, their group was not in a position to turn down a chance at a shower. It had been a long time since they had been given the chance to scour their dirt covered bodies with anything other than pond water, much less with soap, shampoo and conditioner. In their separate stalls, they each thoroughly soaped up and rinsed off and relished the feel of clean skin and hair; despite the chill bumps. Once everyone was cleaned up, they gathered up their tattered and filthy clothes and exited the facility. 

When they came back outside to find their guide, Cassie looked to the old clothing piled in their arms and pointed towards a nearby trashcan. “Unless you’re attached to that for some reason, feel free to toss it. Ya’ll can keep the new stuff, that’s what it’s there for.” Crushing out her cigarette and threw it in the can after their clothing, “I’ll show you guys to where ya’ll will be sleeping. But, so long as Daryl keeps his distance, I don’t think there’s a problem with ya’ll coming back to the party with me. I’m sure you guys are starved.”

In the end, after they had been shown to a building across the street that clearly used to be a furniture store and was now lined with several rows of different sized beds with couches pushed up alongside the walls, everyone went back to the town hall with Cassie. The only ones missing were the two getting medical attention and Rick and Daryl, who were nowhere to be seen as the climbed the steps once more and entered the municipal building. Cassie showed them to an empty table and told them she would have someone from the kitchen bring out some food before she disappeared; clearly eager to rejoin the group of people she was sitting with earlier. 

Glenn pulled out a chair for Maggie, whose eyes were misty as she looked up towards the stage with obvious excitement. “You ok?”

“Yeah, just can’t help but wish Beth was here, too. She would have just loved this.” Maggie wiped her eyes with a napkin that was laying on the table with silverware. The band was between songs as the newlywed couple was cutting their modest cake and Maggie felt herself wishing they would hurry up so the music could start again. “Daddy took us to hear her in concert years ago after Beth won tickets. She was only like eleven…maybe twelve, I guess. It was really nice, we had such a good time going out to eat and even got to meet her backstage.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard any of her songs” Glenn reached out to hold on to Maggie’s hand and lightly stroked her wrist in comfort. Losing Beth and her father so close together could not have been easy and he was concerned that her strong demeanor was really a façade. 

“Sure you have, just probably not with her singing. Beth used to sing her songs all the time, or at least, until Daryl would tell her to shut up…which makes a lot of sense now.” Maggie smiled as a lady slid a plate of meat and vegetables in front of her and gave a very gracious thank you. “Ooh! They’re starting again!”

“Alright everyone, one more slow song for the couple, then how’s about we get a little rowdy in here? Maybe do some dancing?” Samantha smiled down at the couple on the floor in front of her as they once again wrapped their arms around one another. “This one’s an old one, but I’m pretty sure ya’ll will like it.”

Samantha waited a few beats, let the band get to her starting point and joined in on her guitar before starting to sing. _“Dancing in the dark…middle of the night…taking your heart…and holding it tight.”_ Eyes closed, she swayed with the beat of the music and let it wash over her the way it always did. _“Emotional touch…touching my skin…and asking you to do what you’ve been doing…all over again.”_

Tears pricked behind her closed eyes as they always did when she sang the songs she had written eons ago, back in another lifetime when she was young and in love. It was hard enough to sing the songs on normal days, much less when the person she wrote and sang them for was suddenly burst back in her life again. Sam recalled with vivid detail the first time she had sang this particular song; sitting on the porch on Daryl’s lap, his arms wrapped around her waist and the summer sun beating down on her bare shoulders. _“It’s your love...It just does something to me…It sends a shock right through me…I can’t get enough…And if you wonder…About the spell I’m under…Oh, it’s your love…”_

From across the room, Maggie murmured along with Sam; the song still memorized even after all these years. The emotions the song evoked were different now than they used to be, now thinking about the feelings she had for her husband, instead of the romantic notions of a teenager. Putting her fork down, she reached over and took Glenn’s hand in hers and smiled at him with watery eyes. Although she had lost her father and sister, at least she was lucky enough to still have her husband by her side.

“Well, it’s no wonder Daryl didn’t want to hear that.” Sasha piped in when the song was over. “It is about him, right?”

“I guess. I mean, we don’t know how long they’ve been apart, but that’s one of her first songs, so maybe. Beth really liked the earlier songs, the gushy love songs. I preferred her later work, it was...less sappy, I guess.” Maggie drifted off and went back to eating her food as the band picked up the pace; playing an old cover from the eighties she vaguely recognized. 

“As exciting as this is, I think someone needs to go to bed.” Tyrese tipped back his glass of water and polished off the contents before standing up with a sleepy eyed Judith in his arms. ”We’re going to head back. See you guys in a bit.”

“Come on, Carl.” Sasha stood up and held her hand out. “I want to dance and you’re my only candidate.” Without waiting for Carl to reply, she pulled him out of the chair and dragged him to the dance floor. 

“Well, hell, might as well join ‘em.” Abe stood and held a hand out to Rosita, lifting her by the waist when she was on her feet to carry her towards the nearly full dance floor. 

“I’m going to go see if I can find Daryl and Rick.” Carol picked up the napkin where she had placed a few rolls and slices of meat inside for the guys. “Have fun.”

“I’m with them. I’m beat.” Michonne shoved the last bit of her dinner roll in to her mouth and gulped down her water, before standing up. “Good night.” She had barely made it out of the door when Tara popped up behind her, “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you. I just, well, I’m tired, too.”

“Well, my lady, care to dance?” Maggie giggled and let Glenn lead her to the dance floor. While she didn’t want to jinx the night, she could not help but smile in spite of all the bad things that had happened to them lately and hoped that things were looking up for her family. Yet, her heart could not help but yearn for her baby sister to be out there on the floor with her. Or, better yet, on stage with one of her idols. 

**Song: Tim McGraw It’s Your Love**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the reviews and kudos!


	6. Chapter 6

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_Saturday, June 5th, 1999_

The next morning, Sam rolled out of bed and quickly set about getting ready for her performance at the fair that afternoon. Due to spending the obligatory first night back in town with her parents, she had not had much time to prepare the night before. Then again, she rarely put forth much trouble in getting ready to sing and it definitely never included a trip downtown to get her hair and nails done. After a quick shower, she shimmied in to a pair of jean shorts and an old t-shirt from a concert eons ago, and then ran down the stairs while simultaneously pulling her long hair in to a ponytail.

“Samantha!” Her mother called from inside the kitchen, where she was no doubt baking up a storm since she always provided enough baked goods to feed an army for the cake walk and bake sale. Always the dutiful housewife, Donna Collins performed her responsibilities with pride and never missed a moment to go the extra mile. With an impeccable house, flawlessly coiffed hair, the cooking skills of a master chef and had even managed to raise five perfectly behaved and well-rounded children, she was often the envy of the other women in the community. 

“Yes ma’am?” Samantha crossed through the massive living room and headed in to the kitchen to find her mother in deed elbow deep in flour. “One of these days you’re going to have to retire and not feed everyone in the world.”

“Not anytime soon as my daughter won’t be able to take over.” Donna replied with a smile, knowing full well that her daughter might buy people food, but she had little to no skills in the kitchen. “Are you going to be gone long? I could use some more lemons for the frosting if you don’t mind.”

“I should be back by lunch. Just going with Cass to get my hair done for tonight.” Sam leaned around the counter to snag an unfrosted cupcake from a tray; which earned her a stern glare from her mother. “How many?”

“Go ahead and get half a dozen. My purse is on the hook over there, grab whatever money you need for your hair, too.” Donna leaned over and gratefully accepted a kiss on the cheek from her youngest child; a gesture she had missed terribly while Samantha was away at college. 

Sam shoved the whole cupcake in her mouth when she reached her mother’s purse and dug around inside until she found enough money, just in time to hear a car horn honk outside. “Bye Mom!” She called out, her voice muffled from the moist cake, over her shoulder as she barreled out the side door off the kitchen. Running down the cobblestone sidewalk that wrapped around the house, Sam made it to the front yard in time to see Cassie pull in to the driveway in her beat up, hand me down Camry. 

“See? This beat up junker is still running, but your brand new Camaro is in the shop.” Cassie winked at Sam and patted her dashboard as though she was petting a dog. “Ol’ Betty never lets me down.”

“My car breaking down wasn’t the worst thing actually.” Without meaning to do so, Sam blushed when she smiled brightly at her best friend. “The guy that’s working on it is pretty cute.”

“Really? Well, do tell. I didn’t know there were any of those floating around this dead ass town.” Cassie rolled down her window and lit a cigarette at the same time, despite the look she received from Sam for doing so. It never ceased to amaze her how they could spend months apart at separate schools and yet never feel like any time had passed when they were back together. She just wished she had been able to afford the out of state tuition like Sam’s parents could so she could have joined her best friend at college, instead of going to a community college a little less than an hour away from her dinky hometown. 

“Where are you going?” Sam pointed towards the street they were supposed to turn down and turned her head towards Cassie, who grinned at her devilishly before saying, “Didn’t you say you forgot something in your car? Man, I must be hearing things.”

“Oh, no, no, no.” Samantha swatted at Cassie’s armed. “He got my stuff out of the car yesterday, he’ll know I don’t need anything.”

“Surely there is something you can get. A CD? Lipstick?” Cassie turned down the next street in the opposite direction of the salon and whipped her car in to the parking lot at Swain’s. “Better figure something out.”

“Oh, crap! There he is.” Sam slid down in her seat and tried desperately to hide behind her sunglasses. 

“Daaaamn.” Cassie cursed low and slow as she slid her sunglasses down her nose to fully appreciate the man leaning over Sam’s car inside the garage. “He can get under my hood anytime, if you get what I’m saying.”

“I always get what you’re saying, you perv. Shoot! He noticed us.” Sam groaned as Cassie leaned out the window and hollered at Daryl as he walked towards them. She mentally cursed her best friend for her lack of shyness and wished that for once Cassie could smother her natural tendency to seek attention.

“Hey! You happen to see a pair of sunglasses in Sam’s car?” Cassie hollered out the first thing that popped in her head when he got closer. 

“You mean the ones on her head?” Daryl leaned to the side to peer inside the car at Sam as he wiped his hands on a rag. 

“Well, would you look at that?” Cassie said, her tone of voice making it obvious that she was not surprised at all to find the sunglasses in question on Sam’s head. “They were right there all along. Thanks, sugar!”

“Car should be done on Monday. Had to order a new radiator.” Daryl couldn’t keep his eyes off the quiet and blushing Sam, who somehow managed to look even prettier today than she did yesterday and he wondered if there was ever a time she did not look perfect. “Want me to bring it to you?”

“You don’t have to do that. Cassie can bring me by, can’t you?” Sam asked her friend with a poke to the side when she did not answer and instead just openly checked out Daryl; Cassie’s natural tendency as a flirt taking control. “Cass?”

“Yeah, sure. I can do that.” Cassie looked over at Sam and asked, “Wait? What am I doing?” 

“We’ll be by Monday afternoon. Thank you.” Sam shook her head at Cassie and wondered if Daryl was interested in her friend instead. It would not be the first time that a guy had chosen the more well-endowed and experienced Cassie over her and likely would not be the last time. With her long black hair, pouty lips and hourglass figure, it was no shock that Cassie Delaney left a trail of men in her wake. Definitely a sharp contrast to Samantha’s blonde streaked hair, barely there chest and inexperience in the man department. 

“Wonder if they have any more of them like that wherever he came from?” Cass asked as she backed out of the parking lot in to the street. “Cause, this town definitely needs more of that.”

“Right? I mean, I’m not imagining it. He’s like really hot?” Sam sighed and smiled dreamily, her crush on the mechanic doubling after seeing him again. “It’s like he looks at me and my skin tingles. Is that weird?”

“Definitely not, happens to me about every weekend.” Cass laughed and stuck her cigarette butt in to an old coke can in her cup holder. Navigating the car in to an empty space in front of the salon, she shoved the car in park and asked, “What do you know about him? He’s clearly older.” 

“His name is Daryl…um, Dixon, I guess. It’s on his shirt anyway. And, that’s it. Oh! He drives a motorcycle.” Sam said over the top of the car before shutting the door. “He said he might stop by tonight to hear me sing. Didn’t like promise or anything though.”

“Well, guess we need to fix you up just in case!” Cassie looped her arm through Sam’s and headed towards the salon. There were few things in life that her friend truly needed, to loosen up and have a good time and have a hell of a good summer fling. Cass would do whatever she could to make sure that happened.

Later that afternoon, freshly highlighted and with pink painted nails, Samantha stood on stage and did sound check with the members of a local band she sang with on occasion. While she wasn’t a full-fledged member of any band, she did sing with a handful of them from time to time; ranging from covers of country music to classic rock, and sometimes her own music when the time was right. Tonight, since they were being paid to be there by the town, most of their music would be covers from country stars over the years, but no one around Collins minded much if she sang her own songs. 

Once sound check was over, she headed to the bathroom and changed in to the dress she had picked out for the event; a bright yellow sundress with tiny pink flowers on it, which showed off her sun kissed skin perfectly. After checking her makeup and adding a pair of diamond studs to her ears, Samantha slipped on her trusty cowboy boots and headed back to the stage where her parents were already waiting for her. “Hey guys, you’re here earlier than I thought you’d be.” Sam handed her mother her duffle bag and quickly gave her dad a hug.

“Golf game ended sooner than expected. You ready?” Jim kept his arm wrapped around his daughter’s shoulders and grinned down at her proudly. Having gotten her height from her mother’s side of the family, Samantha fit snuggly against him with her head barely reaching the bottom of his shoulder. Not only was she their only daughter, but she was the baby by a long shot, coming along a full ten years after their last son was born; both factors ensuring that Sam was more than spoiled by both of her parents, as well as her brothers.

“Yes sir, we just finished sound check. I should go ahead and get onstage actually.” Sam gave her father another hug and brushed a kiss across his cheek. “Remember, I’m staying with Cass tonight, but she promised to have me at church bright and early in the morning.”

“Ok, baby girl. Go on up there and make us proud!” Jim put his arm around his wife when Sam ran off towards the stage and could not help but feel his heart swell with pride at what a wonderful young lady they had raised.

A couple of hours later, Samantha took a sip of water to wet her dry throat and leaned over to check the set list when she happened to catch sight of Daryl across the field. Tucked away from everyone else, leaning against the cinder block building that held the baseball equipment, his eyes bored into hers as she stepped back up to the microphone. Her heart skipped a beat and butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she nodded her head along with the music and waited for her cue and somehow managed to strum her guitar at the right moment. 

Daryl could not tear his eyes away from Sam; mesmerized not only by her radiance, but by her soulful, angelic voice that managed to capture and evoke feelings he was not even aware he had. He could not help but feel a tinge of jealousy towards the man that was singing the other half of the duet with her, even though he was old enough to be her father, if not older than that. 

_“This world keeps spinning faster…Into a new disaster so I run to you…I run to you baby,”_ Samantha knew she should peel her eyes away from Daryl while she sang and play towards the rest of the audience like any good performer did, but found that she could not tear her gaze away from him. Leaning back in to the microphone she belted out the last few lines of the song, _“I always run to you…Run to you.”_

After the show, Samantha was pulled around to the back of the stage by Cassie, who looked well on her way to being a few sheets in the wind. “He’s here! He came to see me.” She exclaimed excitedly after checking to make sure no one was around them; most importantly her parents, who would definitely not be thrilled about their daughter’s crush on a mechanic that was clearly older than she was.

“Well, get your ass in gear, girl! Let’s go find you a man!” Cassie took Samantha’s hand in hers and drug her out in to the crowd, where they were instantly flocked by several members of the community who wanted to show their appreciation for the performance. By the time Sam was able to shake the mob and lead Cassie to where Daryl had been standing, he was no longer there. 

“But, he came here. Even though he said it was for kids. That’s a good thing!” Cassie pointed out in hopes of turning her friend’s frown upside down. “Come on, there’s a bunch of people going over to the lake for a bonfire. I told Will that’s where I’d be.”

Sam did not bother to ask who Will was, knowing that he was just another victim in Cassie’s department of romance, another conquest that would soon be tossed to the side once she grew bored. Following behind her stumbling friend, their hands still intertwined, the two girls navigated their way down the beaten down dirt path, past the soccer fields and through the woods until they reached the lake on the outskirts of their small town. The after party was already in full swing, with a bonfire blazing brightly and a keg already tapped and in the back of someone’s four wheel drive truck. While Cassie went to grab yet another alcoholic beverage, Sam walked over and took a seat at the edge of the clearing and propped her guitar against the bench; knowing it would not be long before someone asked her to sing for them, as they always did.

Sure enough, it was long after Cassie returned with a red plastic cup that was mostly full of foam for herself and a bottle of water for Sam that someone bellowed out from the other side of the bonfire for her to sing something. More than happy to comply, eager to sing something other than sappy country songs, she chugged down half the bottle of water before grabbing her guitar. Knowing that the crowd would want something they could sing along with, she opted for a string of covers from some of the bands that were currently popular, like the Goo Goo Dolls, Creed and even a little Britney Spears, which earned more than one groan of disgust from the guys in the crowd.

The sound of her voice filtered through the trees and lured him to her. Daryl bypassed the spot where he had parked his motorcycle, purposefully leaving it in a spot that was not on the beaten path so no one would touch it. He pushed past the thick bushes to stand along the edge of the clearing near a path that led to the boat ramp, close enough to see her, but far enough away that his presence was not noticed by the people that surrounded her. He stood there and listened to her sing and wished he had the nerve to go over to join them. Instead, he hung back in the darkness and let the sound of her voice wash over him. 

 

**Song Lady Antebellum: I Run to You**


	7. Chapter 7

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_Still Saturday evening, June 5th, 1999_

Looking at her watch, Sam realized she had been singing for a good two hours by the bonfire. Excusing herself for a break, she headed down the path in the darkness towards the boat house to use the restroom. She was about thirty yards from it when someone stepped out from the darkness and startled her. When the shadow stepped further in to the light that dimly lit the area from a light bulb by the restrooms, she was both shocked and pleasantly surprised to find Daryl staring back at her.

“Hey.” Daryl muttered, suddenly nervous in her presence. 

“Hey.” Sam repeated his greeting with a smile. She took a few steps forward to close the gap between them and was pleased when he did the same. He was so close now that she could smell the smoke that clung to his clothes and for the first time in her life was oddly not repulsed by the scent.

“You, uh…sounded good up there. Ain’t much for country music normally.” Daryl mentally cursed himself for sounding like such an idiot and wondered yet again why he was even talking to her; as if someone like her would ever be interested in someone like him. 

“Thanks. I sing other stuff, too. You want to come back to the bonfire? They’ve been throwing out requests for hours and likely won’t stop until they’re all passed out.” Sam did not know where that burst of bravery came from, but was glad it had come along. There were butterflies the size of condors in her stomach she was so nervous, being this close to Daryl had her all sorts of flustered.

Daryl looked over to the group of people standing around the roaring fire and knew that it was not a place he would be welcome judging by their expensive cars and clothing. Last thing any of those people would want was for some scruffy redneck crashing their party, much less sniffing around one of their own. “Nah, thanks though. Ain’t exactly my type of crowd.” 

“Oh. Ok.” Samantha felt her hopes deflate and shoulders sag right along with them. Silence permeated the air between them as she struggled to find something to say and he awkwardly chewed at his fingernail. “Well, I should get going I guess. Don’t want to hold you up.”

“You ain’t keeping me from nothing.” Daryl stammered, he shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to think of something…anything…to keep her from leaving. “Wanna go for a walk?”

“I’d like that.” Sam blushed and slipped past him, explaining she needed to use the restroom first. Once inside the building, she leaned against the door and grinned from ear to ear with excitement and her stomach flipped with nervousness. She quickly used the facilities, washed her hands and checked her appearance in the mirror before going back outside. For some reason she though he might have disappeared while she was in the bathroom, but was happy to find him waiting patiently by the door when she came back outside. 

Daryl hesitantly reached out his hand to her and rejoiced inside when she slipped her hand inside his. Leading the way, Daryl followed the gravel pathway from the bathhouse up towards the walking trail that circled the lake, or rather large sized pond really. Wordlessly, they strolled through the darkness until they were clear on the other side of the water, opposite of the bonfire. 

Still hand in hand, he turned to face Sam and was struck once again at how beautiful she was; even more so in the pale light from the full moon shining bright in the sky. “Man, you’re beautiful.” He murmured as his thoughts slyly slipped from his mind and out of his mouth unintentionally.

“Thank you.” Sam whispered back and blushed profusely. Staring up at Daryl, she felt overcome with this giddy feeling and her body flushed with a severe yearning for this man she barely knew. While she sang about moments like this, Samantha was severely lacking in the romance department and had no idea how to deal with the feelings that were flooding her body. 

He was at a loss for words, because really, what did they have to talk about? They had nothing in common, that was sure. Feeling like a complete idiot, he stood there and stared down at Sam and tried to think of something to say, to break the awkward silence between them. 

_“She’s too good for you, little brother.”_ Daryl could hear his brother in his head, knew exactly what Merle would say to him in this situation. _'Need to leave the princess alone and find yourself a piece of ass worthy of a Dixon.'_

Shaking away the nagging thoughts of what Merle and his father would undoubtedly say if he knew Daryl was even considering pursuing Samantha. He was still unable to produce any words or take his eyes off of her, Daryl took a chance and dipped his head down to capture her lips with his. He felt her surprise as her body momentarily went rigid and he considered pulling back, but stopped when she returned the kiss. She tasted like cotton candy and Daryl tried to recall if the actual product ever tasted as good as she did. 

Sam’s mind swam with desire and her skin felt like it was on fire under the touch of his rough hands. Pressed against him, wrapped in one another’s embrace, she opened her mouth to him; their tongues mingling. She moaned softly as his hands caressed the bare skin along her arms and upper back; her skin tingling wherever he touched her. Never before had a single kiss produced this reaction from her body; her heart fluttered wildly in her chest, her stomach flipped with anticipation, her skin burned with desire and her mind was dizzy, all from one simple kiss. Breathless from his kiss, she whimpered when he pulled away with a nip to her lower lip. His hands were tangled in her hair and she still had her arms wrapped tightly around his waist as they both gasped lightly trying to catch their breath.

Daryl did not know how he heard it from where they were and wished to hell he had just ignored the sound of someone calling out Samantha’s name. Reluctantly, he released his hold on her and stepped back. “Guess we’d better get you back before they call out the search party.”

“Cassie’s pretty loud, huh?” Sam adjusted the strap of her sundress that had fallen down during their embrace; although it had fallen innocently enough, she knew that walking back over to her friends with her clothes disheveled in the slightest bit would produce a lot of heckling that she did not want to deal with. Looking down at her watch, squinting in the pale moon light, she was shocked to see that it was nearly midnight. “Yikes. It’s later than I thought. I’ve got to get up early for church.”

“Come on, I’ll walk you back that way.” Daryl reached out to take her hand in his once more and tugged her in the direction of her friends. Licking his lips, he could still taste the sweetness of her lip-gloss there and hated to send her back off to reality, instead of staying with him. 

As they rounded the corner of the lake, Cassie stumbled out of the darkness and, once she realized who she was looking at, grinning knowingly. “Well, well, well, looks like someone’s been bad girl.”

“Not as much as you obviously.” Samantha made a face at the smell of alcohol on her friend’s breath and knew it was far past time to sneak Cassie in to her parents’ house. Turning her attention back to Daryl, who was standing uncomfortably behind her, she asked, “So, I’ll see you Monday when I pick up my car?” 

“Yeah, ‘course you will. You gonna be able to get her home?” Daryl peeked around Sam’s shoulder to stare at the wobbling girl in front of her. “She’s wasted.”

“Not my first drunken Cass rodeo. We’ll be fine. Um, I’m glad you ended up coming out tonight.” With a shy smile, Sam eased up on her the tips of her toes and pressed a kiss to Daryl’s cheek and reluctantly let go of his hand. Grabbing hold of Cassie’s hand, she did not wait for his response and headed back towards the bonfire to grab her guitar. 

After quite a laborious trek back to the field where the fair was located to get Cassie’s car, Sam put her guitar in to the trunk and slid in to the driver’s seat while her friend sunk down in to the vehicle on the passenger side. Sam shook her head when Cassie had some trouble getting the seat belt on and reached over to help her. “Girl, you drank too much.”

“Possibly.” Cassie slurred as she leaned back against the seat with a grin. “But I had a damn good time. What about you, baby girl? Did that mechanic get you all hot and bothered?”

“More than.” Sam admitted with a giddy smile as she pulled out of the parking lot and pointed the nose of the car in the direction of Cass’s house. “That man can kiss something awful. I darn near wanted to rip my clothes off right then and there, and let him have his way with me.”

“Well, that says a lot coming from you, Miss Goody Two Shoes.” Cassie rolled down her window and leaned over to catch some of the wind blowing by; her head spinning. “But we all know how far he’s going to get.”

“Hey, maybe I’m tired of being the good girl. You ever thought about that? Maybe it’s time for me to be bad and you to straighten up.” Sam pulled in to Cassie’s neighborhood and slowed to a crawl as she drove down the darkened streets.

“Uh huh. You’re more than welcome to join me on the dark side, but I am not going to take over the pure as the driven snow routine you’ve got going on.” Cassie’s head was now laying in the open window with her long hair blowing wildly around her. “I don’t think you’ve got any bad girl in you, Sam, but it’s about damn time you try. And, Mr. Hot Ass Mechanic is as good of place as any to see if you’ve got it in you.”

“I could be bad if I wanted to. Years of watching you has given me lots of practice.” Sam looked over at Cassie after she pulled in to the driveway of the modest ranch home. Realizing her best friend had given in to the copious amounts of alcohol and was passed out with her head partially out the window, Sam shook her head and said with a sigh, “Yep, lots of practice watching you.”


	8. Chapter 8

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

Present Day: late evening Saturday, March 3rd, 2012

Daryl waited for Samantha. He knew he shouldn’t, that he should just leave well enough alone for the night, but he had never been the most patient person in the world. Instead, he lurked around the darkened downtown street until the party was over, lingering about in the shadows until she finally emerged; nearly the last one left. Sticking to the cover of night, Daryl followed behind Sam until she reached a store about halfway down the street from the town hall. After she unlocked the boarded up door and disappeared inside, he eased close enough to read the painted on letters spread above the store and realized it was her father’s old store, a hunting and sporting goods business. He vaguely recalled that there was an apartment tucked away above the building and that one of her brother’s used to live in it years ago and gathered that Sam must be living there now. Satisfied with knowing where she was staying, and that she had gotten there safely, Daryl forced himself to leave her be for the evening and continued on down the street; exhausted, but his mind too busy for sleep.

Inside the old building, Sam locked the door and headed up the stairway at the rear of the store to the apartment above. Once belonging to the youngest son in the family, Tyler, but had been empty for years until the outbreak. After everything had went horribly wrong with the world, Samantha had packed up everything important to her and moved out of the house she had purchased not long before giving up her music career and took up residence in the apartment since its location downtown was more secure; the patrols and fences made her feel safer. Now inside her apartment, she went in to the living room and greeted the woman sitting in the living room.

“Hey, Mom,” Sam crossed the room and gave her elderly mother a kiss on the cheek. “How’d things go here tonight?” 

“Not as eventful as your night. Your dad stopped by earlier and told me the news. How are you doing, baby girl?” Donna Collins stood up from the rocking chair with a worried expression on her face and wrapped her arms around her daughter. “Have you talked to him yet?”

“I can’t believe he’s here. Of all the people…” Sam said with a shake of the head as she stepped out of her mother’s embrace. Reaching down to the chair her mother had just vacated, she folded the blanket that had been in her mother’s lap and tossed it over the back of the couch. “I haven’t talked to him yet, not sure what to say.”

“Are you going to tell him?” Donna asked curiously as she leaned over to pick up her shoulder bag full of knitting supplies. “About Jacey?”

“Don’t see how I can’t. Not now.” Sam sighed and shook her head. “It’s not like I can make the excuse that he’s not around, right? Plus, it’s not fair to Jacey and I can’t do that to her. Not after everything we’ve been through.”

“Sweetie, I know he broke your heart. I know how hard that was for you.” Donna wrapped an arm around her daughter and pulled her close once more. “But, it was in the past. We’ve all changed. With Jacey, you need to give him a chance now that he’s here.”

“You’re certainly singing a different tune than you used to about him.” Sam opened the back door for her mother, knowing that her father wasn’t far behind her when she left the party. “What changed your mind?”

“Oh, he was a little shit, don’t get me wrong. And definitely not good enough for my baby girl,” Donna chuckled as she stepped out on to the porch. “But I’ve never seen two people more in love than you two were.”

Sam watched as her mother headed down the stairs where her father waited in the golf cart he used to get around town at night. After she waved goodbye to them, she stepped back inside long enough to go in to the bedroom down the hall where and peeked inside. The soft light from the moon filtered in just enough that Sam could see the little girl tucked in to the twin bed by the window. Creeping as quietly as possible, she crossed the room to stand next to the bed and leaned over to adjust the blankets so that Jacey was fully covered once more. Smiling down at the tow headed eight year old sleeping peacefully, unaware that she was being watched, Sam softly brushed back a lock of hair from Jacey’s forehead and leaned over to give her a kiss. As quietly as she had entered the room, Sam retreated and backed out in to the hallway. Not tired in the least bit, she grabbed a coat off the rack by the back door and headed out on to the porch, which in reality was just a tiny metal landing with a chair and small table on it. Bypassing that area, Sam climbed the rickety metal ladder next to the back door and headed up to her favorite spot on the roof.

Transformed in to a place for escape instead of just the roof top of an old building, the area was dimly lit with an assortment of well-placed solar powered lights, a multitude of flower pots would provide plants of all colors come Spring, comfortable seating and even a hammock, it was the place where Sam felt the most at home. Walking over to the edge, she took a seat at one of the many wooden chairs Jacey had hand painted over the past few years, Sam propped her feet up on the railing and leaned her head back to gaze at the stars. After only a few moments, she heard the telltale sound of someone climbing up the ladder behind her and turned her head to see who it was; figuring it was Cassie, but not a hundred percent certain after the surprising turn of events that evening. 

“Hey you.” Sam said, putting her feet on back on the ground as Cassie plopped down in the chair next to her. “Figured you’d have went home a long time ago.”

“Well, I went to a home, just not mine.” Cassie grinned wickedly and reached in to her pocket in search of something to take the edge off. She didn’t bother telling Sam whose house she had escaped to for a few hours, or the fact that she had been there alone. Just being around that certain someone’s belongings, smelling the scent that clung to the clothes hanging in the closet or curling up on the empty bed they’d shared before he had left the last time comforted Cassie and she hated that she couldn’t share that part of her life with her best friend. It was just easier to let Sam think she had once again went home with a random man rather than telling her the truth about who she was involved with. “Thought you might need me more.”

“Daddy said you helped his group get settled. Did you see him?” Sam asked curiously as the sweet smell of marijuana floated over as Cassie took a puff off the joint she pulled from her pocket. 

“Oh, I more than saw him.” Cassie exhaled slowly before elaborating. “Popped the shit out of him. Right square in the nose. Can’t believe that fucker came crawling back after all this time.”

“You hit him? Cassie!” Sam gaped at Cassie and then covered her mouth to stifle the laughter at the mental imagine of her hitting Daryl. “I’d like to say that I can’t believe you did that.”

“He deserved it and he knew it.” Cassie took another hit off the joint, thankful that the two little shits she babysat for years had turned out to be excellent at growing marijuana. Holding it out, she offered it to Samantha. “You want some of this?” 

“Hell, why not? It’s not like I don’t need it after tonight.” Sam reached out and gingerly took the offering from her friend. There was once a time not long ago when she would never smoke pot, but when the end of the world came along and messed things up she figured there was no point in trying to stay the same person she always was. Inhaling, her chest burned as she held on to the smoke briefly before exhaling; her mind instantly feeling fuzzy and her body relaxing instantly. Handing it back to Cassie after only a couple of hits, leaned forward and put her crossed arms on the railing to rest her chin on with her eyes closed. A few moments of silence passed before she opened them again, opening them to find Daryl staring up at her from across the street. “He’s here.” She announced as she sat up straight in the chair. 

“Of course he is.” Cassie said around a cloud of smoke. Looking over at her friend, seeing the expression on her face, Cassie stubbed out the joint and said, “Go. I’ll stay here with the kid.”

Resigned to get it over with, Sam nodded and stood up; their eyes connecting over the railing briefly before she turned and walked towards the ladder. Nervously, she descended the ladder and walked towards the alleyway two buildings down, cutting through the darkened area instead of making the longer walk to the end of the street. When she came out on the other side, her eyes found him again and she timidly crossed the street in his direction. 

“Hey.” She managed to choke out when she was finally in front of him; her heart was beating nervously in her chest so loud she wondered if Daryl could hear it, too. 

“Hey.” Daryl offered in return, suddenly at a loss at what to say in spite of all the things rushing through his mind. Of course, talking had never been their strong suit to begin with, but he knew that what they were good at was not an option. Daryl shoved his hands in his pockets and looked anywhere but at Sam’s questioning gaze. He hadn’t expected to be back at her place tonight, had planned on not bothering her, but somehow he had ended up there anyway. “M’sorry for just showing up like this.”

“Yeah, unexpected to say the least.” Sam crossed her arms over her chest and studied his face as he looked past her. While time had definitely had its way with him over the years with the addition of wrinkles and gray hairs in the scruff on his face, she could tell that somewhere beneath the layers of dirt and bruises that he was still the handsome man she had fallen in love with once upon a time. Uncrossing her arms, Sam reached out and pushed back a thatch of dark hair that was covering the right side of his face and inspected the damage there; the fading remnants of a blackened eye present along with deep red marks of the newly forming bruises around his nose from Cassie’s fist. “She got you good. Did it break?”

“Nah,” Daryl murmured, the feel of her touch on his face causing a flood of memories. “Deserved it.” His skin was cold for the barest of moments when she removed her hand from his cheek. Over the years his mind had protected his heart, dulled the memory of the feel of her skin against his, the sweet scent that somehow managed to permeate her skin even when she didn’t put on perfume, and just how beautiful she was. Either with age or by circumstance, her hair was no longer lightened to a sunny blonde, but was now closer to the color of honey. Somehow she had managed to escape the wears of time, still as youthful and beautiful as the day they first met. In fact, it was only when he looked in to her eyes that he could tell Sam had aged at all; all the heartbreak and stress over the years leaving her once luminous green eyes weary and distrustful. 

Staring at her in the dim light, Daryl had a passing thought that he wished it was daylight so he could see her better, when his nose picked up on an odd smell; a scent that was very familiar to his nose, but had never been associated with Samantha. Scrunching his forehead, he curiously asked, "You stoned?"

"A little bit, yeah." Sam admitted with a chuckle. "The Mitchell boys have a lucrative business now that there's no one to tell them otherwise." She recalled a time when the situation had been reversed and her reaction to it had been a lot worse than Daryl's was now. Sometimes years of heartache and a change of circumstances could alter a person’s outlook on certain aspects of life.

"Hmm...ain't never thought I'd see the day you was stoned." Daryl gave a little half smile and shook his head.

"Doesn't happen often, only when life throws me yet another curveball." Sam looked down at the ground and grew an increased interest in her boots before she muttered, "Never did it before this, before the turn."

"Definitely changes people." Daryl cocked his head slightly to the right and looked at her intently, even though she was doing everything in her power to not look back. Either that, or Sam really was that interested in her old cowboy boots. "If it don't, something's wrong."

“Shit, I am not prepared for this.” Sam cursed and buried her face in her hands in frustration. Normally there was a constant dialogue running through her busy brain, going through scenarios and conversations she would have with him if given a chance and yet, now that Daryl was here she could not figure out anything to say. “Why are you here? What do you want?”

“Just ended up here.” Daryl shrugged, he couldn’t explain how they had ended up here. He had followed his family, let them lead the way while his mind coped with yet another loss of someone important to him. There was really no other explanation to their arrival other than it being happenstance or maybe fate leading the way. “Some of the people with us needed a doctor… medical attention.”

“I don’t care about what they need, what they want. I’m asking you, Daryl. Why are you here? Why now? What do you want…from me?” Sam asked passionately, her voice wavering as she forced back the tears in her eyes. 

“Don’t want nothing from you, Sam. I…I just wanted to say I’m sorry…for everything.” He knew it was lame. How could he just say he was sorry and expect that one thing to erase all the heartache he had put her through, all the pain she had experienced because of him? Just saying he was sorry was not enough. “It ain’t enough, but it’s all I got.”

“I’ve waited a long time to hear it though.” Sam brushed away the tears that were clinging to her lashes and gave him a watery smile. Taking a deep breath, as though it would actually muster up the courage she needed for what she was about to tell him, Sam reached up to pull a locket out from beneath her shirt and lifted it over her head. With shaky hands, she opened it and looked down at the pictures inside, one of her and Daryl and the other was one of Jacey taken at the beach a couple of years ago. The photo was old, but it would serve its purpose for the evening. She held it out for Daryl to take and watched as he tried to figure out what he was looking at. “Her name’s Jacey,” She managed to get out before he interrupted her.

“She mine?” Daryl blurted out, looking up from the photo inside the locket. His mind couldn’t wrap around the notion, but one look at the little girl in the picture and there was no denying she shared his blood. Staring up at him from the locket was the most adorable little girl and she looked up at him with blue eyes exactly like his. With his heart full of hope for something he didn’t know he still wanted, he asked, “Ours?”

“No. I mean, she’s yours and she’s mine, but she’s not ours.” Sam sighed, knowing full well she was making things more difficult than they already were. “She’s your sister, Daryl. She’s seven years old and she’s been with me since she was a little over a year old. Your dad came to town looking for you, ended up staying for a few months and split one night while Jacey was staying with me. We never saw him again.”

“My dad? She’s my sister?” Daryl repeated, completely dumbfounded and having trouble fully understanding the implications of the bomb that Sam had just dropped on him. He couldn’t help but wish that his first assumption was correct and that the little girl was his and Sam’s child. However, this way he at least had another blood relative alive in this world. “Why didn’t you find me? Why’d you keep her from me?”

“Well, it’s not like you left a forwarding address when you walked out, Daryl!” Sam all but shouted in response as she reached out and snatched the locket from his hands. “Daddy tracked you down to a couple of places, but you were gone by the time we found those. I mean, that is what you do best, right? Leaving.”

Daryl didn’t reply to her hurtful words, knowing full well that what she was saying was nothing but the truth. Hearing them didn’t stop the pain that wrenched in his heart though. He watched in silence as she put the locket back around her neck and wanted to reach out and snatch it back; to look at the pictures inside until they were burned in to his memory. He hadn’t missed the picture of them on their wedding day either; young, stupid and in love, wrapped in one another’s arms as they posed for a picture in front of the town hall. The fact that she still wore a reminder of him around her neck gave him hope that they could one day repair the damage that had been done to their hearts and souls.

“Can I see her?” He finally asked gruffly after the stood in silence for a few moments. 

“Yeah, of course. Tomorrow? She’s asleep right now.” Sam took a few steps away from Daryl, needing to have distance between them once more. “Come by after lunch. I’ll need time to tell her that you’re here.” Without waiting for his reply, she turned and went back home.


	9. Chapter 9

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_Monday, June 7th, 1999_

Time was not her friend and it showed its disdain for her by moving as agonizingly slow as possible. In fact, Sunday had passed with the speed of a snail as “family day” often did, starting the day in church and ending it in the same place with only lunch in between. By the time Monday finally showed up, Samantha was about to burst with the anticipation of seeing Daryl that afternoon. 

When Cassie pulled in to the driveway with a series of honks to announce her presence, Samantha flew down the stairs and out the door with barely an ounce of recognition for her mother who was in the living room knitting yet another article of clothing for her new grandbaby. Running across the front yard as though she was being chased by a pack of wild dogs, Samantha yanked open the rust speckled door and flung herself in to the passenger seat; breathless. 

“Someone’s excited.” Cassie smirked and reversed out of the driveway. “And a little dressed up to go to a garage. Are you trying to impress him? Because I don’t think it’s necessary, he already looks at you like you’re made of gold.”

“No he doesn’t. Does he?” Sam grinned and pulled down the visor to check her appearance for the millionth time. “Do I look ok?” After changing clothes no less than five times, she had settled on a baby blue sundress with a pair of chunky soled sandals. “I’ve got to go to the library after, it’s not too much is it?”

“Gorgeous, as usual. And the kids at the library don’t care what you’re wearing.” Cassie turned down the road that Swain’s garage was on. “I’ll wait just in case it’s not done, just wave at me if you want me to go.”

“Ok, thank you for the ride. I’ll see you later, ok?” Sam’s heart skipped a beat when they pulled in to the parking lot and she saw Daryl. Sweaty in the afternoon heat, his hair was damp and sticking up in random places from where he had undoubtedly run his hands through his choppy hair. Grease stained his pants and tank top that was white in a previous life, but was now bordering on a dingy gray after many years in a garage. Sam noticed some type of tattoo on his bicep when he lifted a hand to scratch his head, but couldn’t tell what the design was. Never in a million years would she have thought that this was the type of man that sent her heart racing and stomach flipping, but sometimes opposites really did attract.

“Go get ‘em, Tiger.” Cassie called out to Samantha as she slowly exited the car and cautiously approached the work bay of the garage. She waited patiently, lighting a cigarette to pass the time until Sam gave her the all clear to leave.

Daryl looked over just in time to see Samantha get out of her friend’s car and head in his direction. Stepping away from the car he was working on, he wiped his hands on a well-used oil rag and wondered if he should wash them. Looking down he realized there was nothing he could do to clean up years of working on engines and doing manual labor and just hoped he had managed to at least get off any substance that might still be wet. He quickly shoved the rag into his back pocket and headed towards Samantha. 

“Hey.” He mumbled when she was close enough to hear him. Once again, he was at a loss for words and managed to just gawk at her like an idiot. How was it possible that at twenty six years old he couldn’t put together enough words to form a sentence without feeling like he was the most uninteresting person on the planet? Not wanting to stand there in silence, hoping she wouldn’t figure out just how socially inept he truly was, Daryl pointed towards the parking lot where her car was parked. “Finished up this morning. Swain said he’d bill you father.”

“That’s great.” Samantha’s heart dropped a little when he instantly started talking about her car, but what did she really expect? That he would run across the parking lot, sweep her off her feet and ravage her right there out in the open? Likely not, although the idea wasn’t exactly unappealing. Turning to look over her shoulder, she waved at Cassie to let her know it was fine to leave and quickly turned her attention back to Daryl. “Thanks for getting it done so quickly.”

“Could’ve had it done sooner if I could’ve gotten the part.” Daryl shrugged off the compliment and walked over to the cabinet to grab the keys for her. When he turned back around she was no longer in the same spot, having moved closer to the car he was currently working on.

“What’s wrong with this one?” Sam asked with genuine curiosity. She knew little to nothing about how cars actually worked, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t interested in learning if someone would teach her. She was just that way, like a sponge, always eager to learn, except when it came to cooking. It just didn't matter how many lessons she got in the kitchen, the end result was always the same...inedible. 

“Rebuilding the top part of the engine. Guy can’t afford a new one, gonna see what I can do for him.” Daryl walked over to where she was and leaned over to look inside the engine bay with her. She smelled like cotton candy and strawberries and the scent was distracting, but in a good way…it reminded him of the other night when she was in his arms. 

“That’s so neat. I doubt I could ever do something like that.” Sam turned her head and was surprised to find him staring at her instead of the engine. He was so close she could smell the lingering scent of smoke and what she assumed to be motor oil, it was an oddly appealing smell. “You’ve got quite the skills.” 

“It ain’t nothing. Just taking it apart…putting it back together again.” Daryl replied modestly. “Anyone can do it.”

“Doubtful. I know lots of people, lots of guys, that couldn’t do this.” Sam stood up from leaning over the engine, their arms sliding past one another softly in the process; leaving a trail of chill bumps on her flesh where his skin touched hers. “You should be proud of what you can do.”

 _“What you so proud for, boy? You ain’t worth shit and won’t never be worth shit.”_ His father’s words echoed in his mind as Daryl recalled a time when he had tried to be proud of his accomplishments. Couldn’t have been but eight years old when he had shot and killed his first deer and had even cleaned it himself after Merle had drug it back to the shooting house. When he’d gotten home and held up the antlers to show his father, he had been rewarded with nothing but a scathing tone and an order to grab his drunken dad another beer. 

Shrugged off yet another compliment from her, Daryl held out his hand so she could grab her keys. “I put the tops back on it. Didn’t want it getting dirty inside.”

“Well, I guess I’ll let you get back to it then.” She replied, taking his actions to mean that it was time for her to go. Sam took the key ring from him and fiddled with them for a moment as they stood in an awkward silence once again. Leaning in, she bravely brushed a kiss across his grease smudged cheek and was pulling away when his hand slid up to cup the nape of her neck. She had but a moment to look at him questioningly before Daryl leaned in and pressed his lips against hers, kissing her deeply right in the open doorway so that anyone passing could see what they were doing.

Sam was pressed against him, her body fitting with his as though it was perfectly designed just to be next to his. Caught up in one another, the outside world drifted away as their embrace deepened. That is, until the sound of someone clearing their throats brought them crashing back down to earth. Daryl lifted his head and looked around to find no one in the garage with them, but did see his boss’s truck parked beside Samantha’s car meaning he had returned from his lunch break. Thankfully, the man had given them a discreet distraction and had went about his business instead of coming over to lecture Daryl about not doing his job. Looking back at Sam, he said, “Just my boss.”

Embarrassed, Samantha blushed profusely and ducked her head to lean it against Daryl’s chest and wanted desperately for the ground to open up and swallow her whole. She couldn’t believe that Mr. Swain had walked in on her making out with one of his employees! “I…um…I should go. Let you get back to work.” She managed to say breathlessly.

Daryl nodded, knowing that it was best he get back to work unless he wanted to either be here all night working on that car or end up getting fired for making out with a customer instead. He walked with Sam to her car and opened the door for her and closed it when she was inside. When she backed out of the parking lot, she looked back at where he stood and waved, a simple wiggle of the fingers that was more endearing than he could have imagined, and then took off down the road.

Heading back in to the garage to get back to work, Daryl wasn’t surprised to find his boss waiting for him. A large man with a protruding belly and a receding hairline of coarse gray hair and a perpetual frown on his face, most were shocked to find that Mr. Swain was one of the nicest men in town in spite of his grumpy demeanor. Daryl nodded towards him and said, “Sorry ‘bout that.”

“It ain’t me you need to be sorry to, son. Doubt her father’s going to be thrilled to hear his little girl’s messing around with you.” Swain shook his head and took a sip of the cola in his meaty hand. “You do know that girl ain’t but eighteen, right?”

Daryl stopped in his tracks, coming to a dead stand still as his boss’s words sank in. He scrapped a hand through his hair and turned around with a shocked and sheepish expression plastered on his face. “No, sir, can’t say that I did.”

“Birthday’s right around the corner. Always has a big bash for it on the fourth of July, hers is the day before, but why not put ‘em together? Although, I doubt her turning nineteen’s gonna change her daddy’s mind about his baby girl dating someone damn near thirty.” Swain shook his head in a manner that clearly stated he didn’t want to by Daryl when Mr. Collins found out about him kissing Samantha. “Not to mention all them brothers of hers. Boy, you done got yourself in a mess, didn’t you?”

“Damn well sounds like.” Daryl muttered under his breath. He had figured on Sam being younger than him, knew she was home for summer break from college, but he never thought she was only eighteen. If he was half the gentleman he wished he was, Daryl knew the best solution would be to just walk away before things got even more complicated, but he also knew that there was no way he could let her go know; not after he’d gone and gotten himself damn near addicted to the taste of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos. :)


	10. Chapter 10

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

Friday, June 11th, 1999

Daryl tried to stay away from Samantha. He could almost say he gave it a valiant effort and was doing well at it until he saw her at the end of the week getting gas at the station across the street from the garage. There had been a brief moment of hesitation before he ended up jogging across the street to stand by her car while she was inside paying for the fuel. Of course, he had never been able to wait around patiently, so while she was inside Daryl found himself inspecting her tire pressure and checking the tread; two things he'd done just the week before, but it gave him something to do until she returned. 

"Thank you!" Samantha called over her shoulder to Mitch, the gas station clerk who had been a fixture at the store for as long as she could remember. She tucked the bottle of cola between her torso and forearm so that she could unwrap the Popsicle that had whispered her name when paying for the gas. Sam had just shoved the end of the icy strawberry treat in to her mouth and rounded the rear of her vehicle when Daryl popped up from where he was crouched by the rear tire. "Daryl! Hi! She managed to get out once the Popsicle was removed from her mouth.

"Hey, saw your car...thought I'd come over." Daryl used one hand to shade his eyes from the afternoon sun and noticed there was a blob of pink colored juice at the corner of Sam's mouth. Reaching out, he used the pad of his thumb to wipe it away and without even giving it much thought, immediately sucked the juice off his finger. "Mmm…tastes good."

"One of my weaknesses, especially when it's hot out. You want some?" Sam held out the frozen treat towards him and was actually shocked when Daryl actually leaned forward to bite off a section. The sight of his lips wrapped around the edge of the strawberry Popsicle had her biting down on her bottom lip at the thought of his lips on her instead. Mentally chastising herself for having such a perverted mind, she blushed at the thought and was glad it was hot enough outside that Daryl likely couldn't see her embarrassment. 

"What're you up to?" Daryl asked when he'd swallowed the icy chunk of crushed strawberries. He watched as she innocently licked over the spot he had just taken a bite from and wondered if she knew just how sexy that simple act was. 

"Nothing now, just finished up at the library." Sam sat the bottle of cola on top of her car while simultaneously licking at the Popsicle. "I volunteer there a few times a week. Read to the kids group, play some music for them, that kind of thing. What about you? Still working?"

"Yeah, almost done." He wanted to ask her if she wanted to go do something, but with the way he looked and smelled after a good nine hours of sweating profusely in a non-air conditioned garage in June he didn't dare. "Just wanted to say hi."

"I'm glad you did...been hoping we'd run in to each other, but doesn't look like we visit the same places." Sam looked up at him with a smile and gave a silent prayer that he would ask her to do something with him.

"Nah, I ain't the library type." Daryl looked down at the ground and kicked at a loose pebble with the toe of his boot. He could only imagine what people thought about him standing there talking to Sam; his sweaty hair and dirty clothes a stark contrast to her perfect appearance. He shoved his hand through his hair and scratched the back of his head before looking back up at her with his hand still in his dirty locks. "Look, uh...the other day, my boss said some stuff after you left. Anyway, I...uh, didn't know you was just eighteen."

"Oh. Yeah, for a few more weeks. I take it that's a problem?" Sam felt her breath hitch in her chest as she waited for his response. Her popsicle, now forgotten, dripped on to the pavement.

"I'm twenty six, ain't that a bit old for you? Don't you want someone your own age? Hell, someone that ain't always covered in grease…can take you out to nice places?" Daryl tried to avoid the bright green eyes that blinked up at him and tried to do the right thing. "You deserve better than someone like me."

"But, what if who I want is you?" Sam whispered as the gap between them someone managed to lessen. Now, there was only a few inches between their bodies and she could not remember if it was her that moved closer or if it was Daryl. "I like you, Daryl. Granted, I don't know much about you, but I think you're nice and I don't have a problem with your age… if you don't have one with mine."

"What about your father? Your brothers? I done been warned they ain't gonna be too damn happy about it." She was so close now that Daryl could once again smell the faintly sweet smell that he associated with Sam. 

"Maybe they don't have to know." Sam whispered, her heart thumped in her chest as she waited for him to say something in return. While she had never lied to her parents about anything of importance, anything that could end up getting her hurt, she had partaken in the occasional white lie. That didn't mean she felt good about it, but sometimes a girl had to have a little bit of a life. "Maybe it could be our little secret. See what happens?" 

"Maybe..." Daryl murmured as he lost himself in Sam's gaze. He knew he should be offended at being shoved in the dark, tucked away like a dirty little secret, but if it meant being with Sam then he'd have to deal with it. "We ain't being too secretive out here though."

"You're right. But, you were just checking my tire pressure. Totally innocent and friendly." Samantha smiled up at him and forced herself to take a few steps backwards. With a few steps between them her mind was ever so slightly clearer and the melting popsicle in her hand was suddenly remembered. She stepped around Daryl and walked over to the trash can to toss it inside. 

"How do we do this then? When can I see you?" Daryl opened the car door for her and let it stand as a barrier between them. Their hands were both curled over the top of the window, barely touching, but just that small amount of contact was enough to have on his fingers tingling with anticipation; itching to touch more of her.

"I'm playing tomorrow night if you want to come. Not here, it's at this place about an hour away. Small bar...a dive really, but they serve food which is surprisingly edible. It's called Tiny's, over by the community college that Cassie goes to." Sam leaned in to the car and grabbed a scrap of paper and a pen from the console to scribble her phone number on. "Here. I have my own line."

"Can't see your dad letting you play in a bar. Guessin' he don't know that either?" Daryl took the slip of paper from her hand and slid it into his wallet for safekeeping. The thought of calling her parents’ house, her private line or not, was a slightly frightening notion. 

"Well, he knows I am playing somewhere near the college and that I will be staying at Cassie's. He would actually kill me if he knew what I was really doing, but dang it if I don't get tired of doing weddings and town parties all the time. Not really supposed to be playing there for real since I'm not old enough to be in the bar, but the owner knows Cassie and lets me slide. It's not like I drink or anything, just sing." Sam felt like she was rambling but was having a hard time ending the conversation because she didn't want him to leave. "So, you think you might come by?"

"I'll be there." Daryl hated to leave, but at this hour of the day there was about to be more traffic as people left work and headed home and he didn't want to risk someone seeing him drooling over Sam in the gas station parking lot. 

"Great. I'll see you then." Sam slid in to her car and smiled up at him from the seat while he closed the door for her. Their gaze remained connected for a few beats longer than necessary and when Daryl finally turned and jogged across the street to the garage. 

Once she got home, Samantha put her car keys on the table by the door and flipped through the stack of mail she had collected from the box. She took out the one envelope and clothing magazine marked for her and walked towards the kitchen to give her mother the rest. Since her mom was in the middle of cooking dinner, she sat the stack on the kitchen island and said, "Hey Mom, here's the mail." 

"Thanks honey." Her mom replied as she leaned down to inspect the food cooking in the oven. Satisfied that it was progressing nicely, Donna Collins took off her oven mitts and looked at her daughter with motherly concern. "I got a call today. Mrs. Jankowsky saw you at the gas station flirting with that new mechanic over at Swain's."

"Got to love small towns." Sam sighed and rolled her eyes. One day she hoped to be far from Collins and actually live in a place where people were more concerned with their own lives instead of others. "I wasn't flirting. He came over to ask how my car was doing while I was getting gas. Geez. Tell Mrs. Jankowsy to get a hobby or something."

"Samantha." Donna replied in that tone that clearly meant she was displeased with her daughter's remark. "Edith was just concerned…she said that boy is too old for you. She didn't mean anything by it."

"Sure, Mom." Samantha stood up to leave, utterly finished with the conversation. She knew if she stayed any longer then she would have to make another remark that might not make her mother happy. "Nothing was going on. He was just being nice."

"Ok, then...well, I appreciate that he was checking on the car. Not a lot of people would do that these days." Donna slipped on her oven mitts once more and turned back to the oven. "Your dad is on his way home. Tyler is coming for dinner, too. You've got about half an hour."

"Cool. I'm going to go change then. Bobby Harris decided to stick a lollipop in my chair while I was swapping books. I didn't notice until it was too late. Think you can get it out?" Sam walked around the island and showed her mother the sticky spot on the back of her favorite red shorts.

"That should be easy enough, you can barely see it." Donna motioned towards the laundry room and continued, "Go put some pre-treat on it and leave them for me in there."

Samantha brushed past her mother and went in to the laundry room, where she followed instructions and left the shorts laying on the washing machine before going up the back stairs that led up to the second floor. Once in her bedroom, she changed in to a pair of jeans and traded the button down sleeveless plaid shirt for a t-shirt and made sure her bedroom door was shut before plopping down on the bed to call Cassie. 

"You will never guess what happened!" She said excitedly into the phone when Cassie picked up. Laying on her back, she inspected the nails on her free hand while her friend tossed out a few halfhearted guesses. "I saw Daryl! He's coming tomorrow night!"

"And here you thought he was avoiding you." Cassie squealed on the other end of the phone. 

"I think he actually was, Cass. Mr. Swain told him how old I am and warned him about my dad and the terrible four." Sam used the nickname she had given her brothers back when she had started dating in high school. Somehow all of her dates ended up being terrified of coming to her house and suddenly broke up with her after a few weeks. Eventually, she had found out it was because her four brothers had been terrorizing the few boys she had dated in high school. It had gotten so bad that by her junior year it was next to impossible to find a date to the school dances. 

"Yikes. That's enough to run off anyone." Cassie replied sincerely as she flipped through the channels on the television in search of something to pass the time. "So, just how old is he?"

"Twenty six." Sam twirled the phone cord around her finger and stared up at the glow in the dark stars she had stuck to her ceiling back in junior high. "Tell me I'm being crazy."

"You're being crazy, but I like it. It's about time you did something wild and crazy, stop being so damned reserved all the time. By your age most girls have lied to their parents about at least six guys they've dated." Cassie figured she was exaggerating about the actual number, but knew she was right about the deceiving part. "I'll be your cover story. It'll be fun! A little summer fling, get you over all the school stress."

"But, I don't have school stress. I actually like school, remember?" Sam replied, thinking to herself that she’d like school a lot more if she could settle on a major she actually enjoyed. Crawling off the bed, she walked over to the window and looked out to find her brother walking down the sidewalk.

"See? All the more reason to do something different. You're damn near a schoolmarm, Sam. Live a little!" Unable to find anything interesting on the television, Cassie settled for an old Simpson's episode. 

"When this all goes down in flames, I'm going to remember it was your idea." Sam teased as she held the phone between her ear and shoulder so she could readjust her ponytail. "Anyway, I gotta go. Tyler's here for dinner." 

"Oooh, tell your cute brother to call me later." Cassie said with a laugh, knowing full well that saying so would drive Sam nuts and that Tyler Collins would never call her. "I'll see you tomorrow. G'night."

Sam said farewell and hung up the phone at about the same time she heard her brother bellow from downstairs that it was time for dinner. At twenty eight, Tyler was a full ten years older than her, but that did not mean he acted older than her. When Sam came in to the kitchen, he was getting the tea pitcher out of the refrigerator and pulled the end of her hair with his free hand. Swatting at him, Sam started to pester him back, but was stopped by a glare from their mother. 

"What are you doing here on a Friday night? Can't get a date?" Tyler asked as they sat down at the table, knowing full well that the boys in this town were too frightened by her family to ever ask her out. 

"I could ask you the same thing." Sam replied sarcastically before sticking her tongue out at her brother. With his sandy blonde locks that were forever in need of a trim, hazel eyes and dimples, it was typically unheard of for him to be without a date. "Did the women in this town finally grow a brain and realize you were dating all of them at once?"

"I've got plans later." Tyler grinned devilishly and winked, letting Sam know full well what type of plans he had later. "Saw Cassie earlier today, she's looking pretty good lately."

"You keep your grubby hands off my best friend." Sam warned him with a glare and the pointy end of her butter knife. "The last thing I need is you breaking her heart."

"Eh, too young for me anyway. What's she, like twenty now? I at least need them old enough to buy their own beer." Tyler poured a glass of sweet tea and winked teasingly as he handed it to Samantha before pouring his own. "Maybe one day."

Samantha wanted to tear in to her brother and threaten him with bodily harm if he ever tried anything with her best friend, knowing full well that Cassie had been sporting a crush on Tyler for several years and that with his reputation he would just break her heart in the end, but he was saved by their father coming through the door. Narrowing her eyes in his direction, she silently warned him with her knife again before bowing her head for their dad to say grace once he joined them at the table.

Across town, while the Collin's family was sitting down to dinner, the Dixon's were doing the same, but with a less than picture perfect setting. Literally on the wrong side of the tracks, the single wide mobile home was in dire need of maintenance with its cracked front door and the missing sections of underpinning that let the cinder blocks holding it up show through. The yard was desperately in need of upkeep, sprouting weeds along the gravel walkway and around the bottom of the mobile home and patchy grass that sported more than one dead spot. Inside, the furniture was a hodge-podge of items pilfered from garage sells or from the side of the road before the garbage truck picked it up. The faux leather couch was patched on one corner with duct tape and the coffee table in front of it was really just an old cable spool, the kitchen table might have been nice at one point but was now scratched liberally and owned not a single one of its original chairs, now sporting several folding chairs instead. Perched on top of an old end table was the only item in the whole place worth much of anything, the television. 

Daryl knew he would ever be able to bring Samantha back to his house without feeling like an utter failure at life. He had seen where she lived and knew that all of the belongings in his house would not add up to cost as much as the front door of her house. Granted, it was her parents’ house, but he knew that one day she would have a place just as nice, if not better. With a grim expression on his face, he surveyed the dismal surroundings and wondered what he could do to make it more presentable. 

"What's wrong, baby brother? You look like someone done shit in your Wheaties." Merle Dixon asked from where he was kicked back in the dilapidated recliner he had procured from the roadside just a few days ago. 

"Nothing." Daryl muttered in return, as if he could actually tell his older brother what was bothering him. He knew full well that admitting he was ashamed of his living conditions would just provoke Merle in to making fun of him. Their family had always lived in places that were only slightly above what was considered squalor, never knowing if they had enough money to pay bills or eat from month to month. Daryl knew he should damn well be used to having nothing and being nothing by now. "What are you doing here anyway? Thought you'd be out."

"What? And miss all this fine company?" Merle laughed sarcastically and took a pull of beer from the bottle in his hand. "Ain't staying long. Heading out tonight, probably won't be back anytime soon. Got a run to Atlanta."

"Ain't you on probation?" Daryl glared at his brother, knowing full well that Merle was still on probation after the last time he got picked up with drugs on him. 

"Fuck probation. Ain’t no problem less they catch me." Merle polished off his beer and belched, before tossing the bottle to the ground and picking up another from the cardboard holder next to him on the stained carpet. "Only pussies worry about that shit."

"Yeah, well, they ain't gonna go lightly on you if you get caught." Daryl stood up and stalked across the room to grab the beer bottle laying on its side; dripping out the last drops of cheap beer on to the carpet. Wordlessly, he tossed the empty bottle in to the garbage can and listened as it clinked loudly against the others as it landed. 

“Only if I get caught, baby brother. We could use another person…a cop catcher.” Merle pointed out, using the common phrase for the person that lures the police in to pulling them over so that the runners can pass without suspicion. Merle raised his eyebrows at his brother as he turned up the brown glass bottle and chugged half the contents before pulling it away from his mouth. “Make it worth your while, five hundred big ones.”

Standing in the kitchen, staring in to a refrigerator that boasted only a bottle of ketchup and beer, Daryl pondered his options. On one hand, he could stay home and be broke, but stay out of jail. However, on the other hand, he could join his brother, make some money and risk a run in with the authorities. Sighing, Daryl slammed the door on the refrigerator shut and turned to face Merle. “Aight, so long as I’m back by tomorrow night.”


	11. Chapter 11

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

Saturday, June 12th, 1999

 

The next afternoon, Sam was halfway out the door when the sound of her father’s voice booming from behind had her retreating back inside the house and in to his study. She leaned her guitar case against the wall in the hallway and opened the door to peek her head inside, “Yes, sir?”

“Heading out already?” Jim Collins asked as he stood up from the massive walnut desk and walked towards his daughter. Checking his watch, a shiny Rolex her mother had surprised him with on their last anniversary, he frowned and said, “Seems a bit early.”

“It’s a little over an hour away and I still need to pick up Cass. You know how she’s always late, Daddy.” Samantha said, sticking as close to the actual truth as possible. Lying had never been something she was good at and very much something that she did not like doing, especially towards her family.

“Ok then. Well, ya’ll be careful out there.” Jim wrapped his arms around Samantha and gave her a bear hug, brushing a kiss across her forehead before releasing her. “We’ll see you girls at church in the morning then.”

“Yes, sir.” Samantha dropped her eyes, hoping her father had not seen the lies that had to be present in her gaze. Stepping away from her father, Sam picked up her guitar case and turned to leave, but before she closed the study door once more, she said, “Love you, Daddy.”

“Love you, too, baby girl. Be safe.” Sam heard her father say as the door clicked shut behind her. Taking a deep breath, Sam pushed aside the guilt blooming in her heart and headed outside to her car.

A short drive later and Samantha was pulling up to Cassie’s house. Grabbing her duffle bag out of the backseat, she bypassed the front door in favor of using the entrance on the back porch that was closest to her friend’s bedroom. Knowing that it would be unlocked, Sam let herself inside and went directly in to Cassie’s bedroom. As she had predicted to her father, Sam shook her head at the sound of Cassie singing in the shower, not even close to being ready despite Sam having told her they were leaving at five o’clock, which was in ten minutes. Since the departure time had been fudged by Sam knowing her best friend would be running late there was no hurry, so Sam tossed her bag on to the bed and opened it to pull out the clothes she intended on wearing instead of the lavender strapless dress that was appropriate for singing at a wedding that she was currently wearing.

Sam had just stepped in to her favorite pair of blue jeans when Cassie stepped out of the bathroom; body and hair wrapped in towels. With a shake of the head, Sam pointed her finger at Cassie and said, “See? I knew you could never be ready in time.”

“And, I know you well enough to know that you fudged about what time we have to leave.” Cassie replied with a smirk as she opened her closet to rummage through the massive amount of clothing inside. “I still have at least an hour before we have to leave, right?”

“Yes.” Sam admitted grudgingly. Pulling her dress over her head, Sam folded it up and stuffed it inside the bag. Just as she was slipping her arms in to the shirt she had brought to wear, a button up shirt with a flower pattern on it, she felt Cassie staring at her and looked up to find her friend glaring at her with a disapproving expression. “What?”

“You can’t be serious with that shirt. Are you really a middle aged housewife and I just don’t know it?” Cassie turned around and started looking through a section of shirts in her closet. Finding one that she approved of, she stepped out of the closet and tossed it at Sam. “There. It’s revealing enough to appeal to Daryl, but respectable enough for even you.”

“I don’t get what’s wrong with this one.” Sam mumbled as she pulled off the offending shirt. Folding it back up, she stuffed it back in to her bag and slipped the other one on instead. Looking in the mirror, Sam had to acknowledge that the new shirt was definitely a better option if one was in the market to appeal to a man, which she was, for once in her life. The silky material looked more like a vest than a shirt, but was long enough to cover her stomach and fitted enough that she had to admit it actually looked like she had a larger bosom than she really did. “You’re right…as always.” Sam confessed as she admired her reflection in the mirror.

“Duh.” Cassie replied with a smile as she sat down at the table she used to do her hair and makeup. She rummaged around in a drawer and pulled out some lipstick and eyeliner, both of which she tossed to Sam. “A little bit of these and you’ll be ready to go.”

Sam caught the tubes of makeup and thought about arguing with Cassie, but in the end she decided not to and put the makeup on while her friend started drying her hair. With the smoky charcoal eye liner and wine colored lipstick applied, Sam fluffed her hair in the mirror and added a few spritzes of hair spray to her wild mane of locks and hoped that the look appealed to Daryl, as there wasn’t anyone else at the bar that she wanted to impress…with her looks anyway. Sitting down on the bed, she put on socks and slipped her feet in to her black cowboy boots and was ready to go…twice in the time it took Cassie to even get ready once.

What seemed like a lifetime later, they were finally at their destination and Samantha was on stage while Cassie watched from the booth that the manager reserved for them. While it was still very early in the night at just before nine o’clock, Samantha couldn’t help but feel a little sad that Daryl was not there yet. Trying to push back the nagging thoughts that he was not going to show up, Sam smiled brightly towards the crowd and started the next song on the list. By the time it was ready for a break, Daryl was still nowhere to be found, so Sam went towards the bar where she perched on one of the stools nearest to the stage and ordered her usual.

By the time he was able to get away from his brother and the group they had drove up to Atlanta with and get back on the road, Daryl knew he was going to be late getting to the bar where Sam was singing. The trip had been longer than expected, picking up another leg to run from Atlanta to Macon, and had its fair share of bumps along the way, one of which resulted in Daryl getting pulled over and thoroughly inspected on the side of highway 75 south just outside of their final destination for the day. By the time he had been allowed to get back on the road, Daryl had been a good hour behind the rest of the group and had to carry on to Macon and locate them before getting paid. Upside, thanks to the double run, he was able to stick a thousand dollars in his wallet and hadn’t managed to get arrested. Downside, he still had to fork over some of that to pay the traffic ticket he hadn’t been able to get out of.

He had originally considered passing by the exit for Collins and heading straight to where Samantha was, but had nixed the idea when he realized how badly in need of a shower he was. Many hours on the road riding a motorcycle in Georgia in June meant that Daryl was in no condition hygienically speaking to go meet up with someone he was interested in…well, someone like Samantha, who he was interested in for more than just a quickie in a dirty bar bathroom. Therefore, by the time he detoured to Collins to clean up, got back on the road and was on his way to see Samantha, it was damn near ten o’clock. Daryl hoped she would be understanding about his tardiness, not that he could actually tell her the reason for it.

Daryl pulled in to the parking lot of the hole in the wall bar and parked his motorcycle next to Sam’s car, managing to squeeze it in beside her Camaro and a row of half dead hedges that lined the cracked parking lot. He stuck his helmet on the handlebars and ran a hand through his hair that was undoubtedly a mess since he’d put the helmet on while it was wet. Walking up to the front door, he dug out five dollars for the cover charge and followed the sound of Samantha’s voice until he was inside the dark and smoky bar.

When he saw her on stage, Daryl couldn’t help but stop in his tracks and stare at her. While he had already seen her perform at the fair, there was something about her tonight that seemed different. Maybe it was the atmosphere, maybe it was the difference in music she was singing or a combination of the both, but tonight she was damn near mesmerizing. Daryl would have been content just standing there in the archway entrance listening to her, but his attention was soon grabbed elsewhere when Cassie wrapped her hand around his arm and pulled her towards the nearest booth.

“Bout time you got here, Dixon!” Cassie yelled over the music as she slid inside what she considered to be her booth. “Thought you had decided to skip out and break my girl’s heart!”

“Had some work stuff to do. Ran late.” Was all Daryl said, not letting on to what type of work stuff that had actually caused him to be late. Catching the attention of one of the two waitresses, he ordered a beer for himself and, when Cassie raised her eyebrow, one for her as well. When the waitress left, he asked, “You telling me you’re old enough?”

“According to my license, I am.” Cassie replied with a flutter of her eyelashes a sugar coated grin. “And, that’s all that matters.” Sticking a cigarette between her lips, she leaned forward to let Daryl light the end when he stuck out his lighter. She was about to ask Daryl a question, when the sound of Sam talking instead of singing caught their attention.

“Hey ya’ll, we’re going to take another quick break here in a minute, but first I have to fulfil a request from Tom.” Samantha covered her eyes with her hand and scanned the crowd until she found the man in question and then she pointed at the couple crammed in to a booth on the other end of the bar. “Time to dance with your lady, Tom. You big softie, you.”

Daryl sat back in the booth, took a drag off his cigarette and watched Samantha as she took a sip of water and stepped back up to the microphone. Figuring she was about to belt out one of the many love songs she was apparently known for in Collins, he had to admit he was quite shocked when the next words out of her mouth was from a Marvin Gaye song.

 _“I’ve been really tryin’, baby... Tryin’ to hold back these feelings for so long…And, if you feel, like I feel baby…Then come on, oh come on…”_ Samantha sang the words of the song that Tom, the bar regular, often requested. Normally, she didn’t feel awkward singing it, but after catching Daryl staring back at her from the booth he shared with Cassie, Sam couldn’t help but sport a full body blush of embarrassment as she belted out the words under his watchful eye. _“Let’s get it on, oh baby…Let’s get it on, let’s love baby.”_

“Let’s get it on…Let’s get it on.”Sam crooned into the microphone, managing to sing all the lyrics to the provocative song without messing up, in spite of the weight of Daryl’s gaze. “Cheryl, you’re a lucky lady.” She finished the song with its usual dedication, albeit different name, put her guitar down next to the microphone and hopped off the stage. When she made it to her destination, Cassie was sliding out of the booth with an excuse that she needed to use the restroom, but in reality, was Sam knew her friend was making her way to the alcove by the stage where she had a tendency to make out with the drummer.

“Hey,” Sam stood awkwardly at the edge of the booth, wondering if she should sit across from Daryl or with him and was happy when he made the decision for her by scooting over to make room for her. “I’m glad you came.”

“Sorry I’m late. Work stuff.” Daryl hated lying to Samantha, knowing full well that she was the type of lady who would neither appreciate being lied to nor the reasoning behind it, but he didn’t want to risk what would happen if he told her the truth. “Didn’t think you’d sing that type of song.”

“Oh, um…yeah, Tom requests it every time we play.” Sam blushed as she explained, “Different woman every time though. Don’t think I’ve ever seen him in here with the same one. Of course, I don’t play every week, so…” She felt she was rambling again, something that she had never been cursed with doing, yet ever since Daryl had come in to her life Sam couldn’t seem to stop yammering nervously. This time, however, Daryl stepped in and saved her from her nervous babbling by kissing her.

Samantha’s heart pounded in her chest loudly, rivaling the rhythmic thumps of the music blaring from the speakers. His hand was cupped at the nape of her neck and just that contact, the warmth and rough texture of the palm of his hand sent shivers down her spine. The awkward position in the booth, the way their bodies were turned towards one another in the tiny space between the table and the back of the cracked red vinyl seat, was infuriating as Sam tried to angle herself closer to Daryl and figure out where to put her hands. She was damn close to letting her hormones take control of the situation and just straddle him when Cassie slid back in to the booth.

“Oh, hey! You’re back.” Sam choked out as she jumped away guiltily from Daryl’s embrace, only to realize that the interruption was only Cassie. “Figured you’d have your tongue halfway down Paul’s throat by now.”

“Bleh. Paul? I’m over him.” Cassie didn’t mention that the reason she was no longer infatuated with Paul was that she had just caught the drummer with his hands up the skirt of the new waitress. “Here. Charles sent this over for you.”

“Thanks.” Sam welcomed the rosy colored liquid and waved towards the bar where Charles was working. More than a little parched, she downed half the glass in one swig. “So good. I needed that.”

“Thought you don’t drink.” Daryl asked curiously as he eyeballed her drink, and then the bartender who was still looking their way, suspiciously.

“I don’t. It’s a Shirley Temple.” Sam held out the glass to let Daryl take a sip. “They’re my favorite and Charles’ makes the best ones.”

“Huh.” Daryl grunted, yet again at a loss for words in regards to Samantha and just how young she actually was. Once again, the gravity of the situation was weighing upon him and the desire to do what was right was nagging at the corner of his mind, but the pressure of Samantha’s hand on his thigh was enough to pull him away from those thoughts. He knew in the back of his mind though, that whatever they had going on between them would likely end badly, but damn it if he could not make himself walk away from her. In the short time he’d known her, hell it had only been a week, Daryl could already feel himself becoming addicted to Samantha. Easing his hand under the table, he sought out hers and slipped his beneath hers to intertwine their fingers. Daryl never thought he’d see the day when a few stolen kisses and holding hands would ever have him feeling like a dopey lovesick teenager, but somehow they did.

Seeing the other guitarist waving at her from the stage, Sam felt annoyed that the break was over for the first time since she started performing. Singing for crowds of eager fans, the rush of being on stage, the bright lights pulsating around her, were suddenly no match for the feelings she had when she was with Daryl. They’d barely known one another for a week, barely knew anything about one another, yet the feelings that coursed through her body when his lips were on hers, the rough calloused touch of the skin of his hand wrapped tightly in her hand, the feel of his body close to hers…it was enough to have Sam dizzy with desire and on the verge of begging him to take her away from the stage; from what she once considered to be her only love.

Reluctantly, Daryl let Sam’s hand slip from his and return to the stage, with only a quick press of the lips against one another before she was no longer next to him. Left in the booth with only Cassie once more, Daryl quickly filled his empty hand with a cigarette, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly as though that simple act would occupy the time now that Sam was no longer with him. Realizing that Cassie was staring at him from across the booth, he asked gruffly as he exhaled yet another stream of smoke, “What?”

“You really like her, don’t you?” Cassie couldn’t help but notice the expression on Daryl’s face when Samantha left him to return to the stage; the almost lovesick tint to his gaze as he followed her through the mass of people crowding the stage in anticipation of the band starting up once more. She had to admit that she was on the verge of jealousy, wishing that someone would look at her that way, but couldn’t begrudge her best friend the feeling enough to put much thought in to her own feelings. Curious, wondering exactly how this love affair of the summer was going to play out, Cassie lit up her own cigarette and inquired, “So, Dixon, what exactly are your intentions with Samantha?”

“What, you her mother or something?” Daryl gave a half-assed attempt at a joke and took a long pull off of his beer.

“No, I’m her best friend.” Cassie replied tartly and with a stern look. She had never had to play the role of concerned best friend with Samantha, who rarely colored outside the lines. Instead, it was usually Samantha stepping up to make sure Cassie was treated well and always made sure she made it home safely. Treading new waters, Cassie took a sip of her own beverage and thought about what she wanted to say, make sure she got it all out correctly. “Sam’s, well…she’s special and I don’t want her heart broken over some summer fling with some random guy. You’ve got to realize that she’s not like other girls you’ve likely been with…she’s sweet and trustworthy and kind of…perfect. So, don’t, like…totally break all that, ok?”

“Don’t intend to.” Daryl replied with nothing but honesty when Cassie had finished talking. He knew what she was referring to, he could already sense all of those qualities in Samantha without someone having to tell him. Looking up at the stage to where Sam was slipping the guitar strap over her neck and stepping forward to where she was bathed in the light focused on the microphone, Daryl already knew that he was falling hard for her. He had never believed in soul mates, love at first sight or anything remotely having to do with fate, but right now that was the only way he could explain what was happening between him and Samantha, at least to him anyway. Feeling like a sap, Daryl had to admit that to him… Samantha was a ray of golden sunshine in the sea of darkness that was his life.


	12. Chapter 12

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

The present: Sunday, March 4th. 2012

 

The next morning, Samantha was sticking her feet in to her boots when Jacey came out of her bedroom already dressed for church in a plaid dress and blue knee socks. Her hair, a mass of blonde waves, stuck out wildly around her head in its normal state of disarray when Jacey went to bed with wet hair.

“Will you braid my hair?” Jacey asked, fully aware that the answer was always going to be yes. Sitting down in front of Sam on the living room floor, she raised her hand to give Sam the comb and hair tie she had remembered to bring. 

“Absolutely.” Sam took the comb and hair tie from Jacey’s outstretched hand and laid them down beside her on the couch. “But, first, we need to talk about something. Why don’t you turn around, kiddo?”

“What did I do wrong?” Jacey asked in a tiny voice as she peered up at Samantha with the big blue eyes. “Did Grandma Donna say I did something I wasn’t supposed to? Because I didn’t…I don’t think anyway.”

“No, you didn’t do anything wrong.” Samantha laughed and smiled down at the little girl who wasn’t technically hers, but wholeheartedly was. “We had some people come in to town yesterday while you were with Grandma Donna. They got the all-clear from Mr. Harper and Big Jim, so you don’t have to worry about them and I’m not sure they’re all going to stay for long. But, well, your brother, Daryl is with them.”

“But, you said he was lost.” Jacey asked with her face scrunched up with confusion. “How’s he here if he’s lost? And, what about my other brother? Is he here, too?”

“Apparently, Daryl’s not lost anymore. I, uh, actually don’t know about Merle, sweetie. I didn’t see him last night, but Daryl’s definitely here…and he wants to meet you. Are you ok with that?” Sam asked cautiously. She didn’t want to push Jacey in to meeting Daryl, but also didn’t want the child to pass up the opportunity to have a relationship with someone from her actual family. She hoped that Merle wasn’t with the group and that he didn’t magically pop up later either. The very last thing she wanted was to have to deal with him, too. Sam watched as Jacey thought about what she had just said and felt a wave of relief when the little girl nodded her head and said she wanted to meet Daryl, too. “He’s going to come by after lunch, so let’s make your hair all pretty, ok?”

After she had Jacey’s hair French braided, Samantha grabbed their bibles and tossed them into her shoulder bag. She ushered Jacey out of the apartment, down the stairs, through the store and out the front door to stand on the sidewalk while she locked up. Turning around to Jacey, she took the child’s hand in hers and started towards town hall where breakfast was about to be served. They had only managed a handful of steps when the door to the old furniture store opened and some of the newcomers started piling out on to the sidewalk. Sam’s breath hitched in her throat as she waited for Daryl to come outside and when it was obvious that he was not joining the others in his group for breakfast she had to push away a surprising wave of disappointment. 

Rick stepped out onto the empty street to stand in the morning sun while the others in his group made their way outside to linger on the sidewalk. Feeling as though he was being watched, Rick turned his head to the right and landed his gaze on Daryl’s wife; whose name he could not recall straight away. Stepping away from his group, he strode towards where she was standing with a small child. “Ma’am, sorry to bother you.” He said as he stopped in front of them and offered his hand, “Just wanted to introduce myself. I’m Rick…Rick Grimes, I’m here with Daryl.”

“Samantha Collins, nice to meet you.” Sam shook the man’s hand quickly and started to move past him, but was instead stopped by Jacey.

“Is my brother coming to breakfast, too?” Jacey asked, staring up at Rick with hopeful eyes. While she was nervous about meeting Daryl, she was also very excited at the notion and didn’t want to wait until after church if she didn’t have to. 

“You’re brother?” Rick asked slowly as he cut a glance back towards Samantha. “Daryl…is your brother?” Looking back at the little girl, he didn’t miss the similarity in their eyes upon the second look. “He’s hunting, I think.”

“Oh, you think he’s still coming over after church?” Jacey asked Sam with a worried tone in her voice. “He didn’t forget?”

“I’m sure he didn’t forget, sweetie.” Sam reassured her, before turning her attention back to Rick. “Sorry, we’re running a little late this morning…we still need to grab breakfast before church.”

“Church? Huh, been a long time since I’ve even considered the notion of that.” Rick had a brief flash of the day in the church when they were searching for Sophia, the last time he had been in a church and the last time he could honestly recall praying to a higher power. “It’s nice ya’ll still do that even if we don’t know what day it is.”

“Well, we do, or at least pretty close to it. Our librarian kept marking the days off on her calendar after the outbreak…her son kept up the practice after she passed away.” Sam motioned for Jacey to head on towards their destination. “Ya’ll are more than welcome to come to service today.” Sam bid Rick farewell after that and hurried down the street after Jacey, who was lingering around the stairwell of the municipal building that had been repurposed for meals and town functions due to the large conference room that had an attached kitchen. After the outbreak and loss of power, any wood burning stoves that had been left in residences after the owner’s had passed away were gathered up and brought to that one location for group meals. 

Rick was still standing in the spot where Samantha when Michonne came over to him. “Who’s the kid?” She asked curiously as her line of sight followed Rick’s to where Samantha was ushering the blonde little girl in to the building for breakfast. 

“Apparently Daryl’s sister.” Rick informed her, his voice laden with apparent surprise at the information. “He’s supposed to go over to see her after church.”

“Church? And Daryl has a sister? Don’t know which one is more shocking.” Michonne replied with a deadpan expression. Nodding her head towards the building Samantha and Jacey just disappeared into, she asked, “Is that where they’re headed?”

“Breakfast. She invited us to church, but I didn’t get around to asking where it was exactly.” Rick motioned towards the building as he walked back over to the rest of the group and continued, “Actually thinking about going after breakfast.”

“Going where?” Maggie asked as Rick and Michonne joined them once more. When Rick replied that there was a church service after breakfast, her interest was piqued. Growing up, their family had been in the church any time its doors were open and while that much dedication as a child seemed a bit tedious to Maggie, she had to admit that she missed the practice nowadays. “I’d like to go, too.”

The group headed in to the building for breakfast and was shocked to find the place nearly stuffed to the gills with people, a lot more than had been present for the ceremony the night before. Standing awkwardly in the doorway, Rick was surprised when Jacey came over and took his hand in hers and started pulling him towards the table near the stage that was lined with food.

“Come on, I’ll show ya’ll where the food is and then ya’ll can come sit with us.” Jacey announced, weaving them through the tables towards the food. When they got to the banquet table full of food, she smiled at the lady standing behind it and said, “They’re my brother’s friends, but he’s not with them. Mr. Grimes, we’re over there when you get your food.” Jacey turned and pointed to the table where Sam was sitting alone, she waited for a moment for Rick to nod in agreement before running back over to where her plate of food was growing cold.

“Hey there, I’m Sam’s mother, Donna Collins. Ya’ll settling in ok?” Donna asked as she passed out paper plates, forks and napkins to the group. At seventy five years old now, her once perfectly coifed honey colored hair had been replaced with locks nearly as white as snow; something that would have occurred earlier in life had it not been for visits to the hair salon every six weeks. While her impeccable taste in clothes remained, the outfits she wore now were based on function instead of fashion and her once trim figure now sagged in areas that she'd spent hours in aerobics classes trying to postpone. In fact, she now actually looked like a grandmother, despite having been one for a little over twenty years.

“Yes, ma’am. Thank you for taking us in for the time being. Definitely a change of pace for us to meet some decent folks on the road.” Rick graciously accepted the materials from the woman and eyeballed the spread of food in front of them. He was shocked to see such an array of breakfast foods, ranging from scrambled eggs and sausage to pastries. “And such good food.”

“We’ve been lucky, that’s for sure. We have four scavenging teams that rotate out, usually have two out at any given time, so for the time being we have a fairly steady stream of supplies coming in.” Once all of the materials had been passed out to their large group, Donna pushed her glasses back on to the top of her head and said, “Help yourselves, no sense in having leftovers and ya’ll are likely the last ones to be eating…unless, you think Daryl might show up?”

“Oh, no ma’am, he left early this morning…said he was going hunting. He provides the majority of the food for our group by hunting and setting traps.” Rick informed the woman as he put a spoonful of eggs onto his plate. “He’s usually up and gone before the sun comes up.”

“Well then, that’s nice to hear.” Donna replied before excusing herself to go start assisting in cleaning. As she gathered up plates and other items left behind from the tables, she noticed Jacey welcoming the members of the group with open arms to their table, while Samantha’s face held a forced smile and a reserved look in her eyes that was present more often than not over the past few years. Donna hoped for the sake of her daughter and the darling child that she considered to be just as much of a grandchild as her other grandchildren that Daryl would prove to be a better person than he was before. She couldn’t stand to watch both of their hearts be broken, it had been hard enough nursing Samantha through it the first time.

Maggie managed to snag a seat opposite to Samantha and could barely choke down the meager portion of eggs and toast on her plate while she thought about how to broach the subject of the time her family had met the singer at one of her concerts many years ago. Finally, when Rick took a break from inquiring about the calendar someone had apparently been working on, Maggie mustered up the courage to talk to Sam. “Ms. Collins, I just wanted to say that last night, listening to you sing again, was just amazing. My family has been a fan for many years.”

“Thank you. And, please, Ms. Collins in my mother, call me Sam. It’s Maggie, right? I apologize, I’m not great with names and there’s a lot of you to try and remember.” Sam smiled warmly at Maggie while simultaneously motioning for Jacey to quit fidgeting and eat her food. 

“That’s right, I’m Maggie. Um, I actually saw you in Atlanta several years ago in concert at the Tabernacle. My dad took my sister and me. Beth, my sister, she won tickets and backstage passes. You were so nice to her, it really made her happy.” Maggie’s eyes watered with a combination of happiness and sadness due to the memory. 

“The Tabernacle? Back in ’05?” Sam asked as she squinted her eyes at Maggie. Suddenly a memory from another lifetime came back to her and her eyes widened with recognition. “Oh my goodness, the little girl…the blonde? The one with the amazing voice? Is she here, too?”

“That’s my baby sister, Beth. I can’t believe you remembered.” Maggie wiped at the tears that spilled over her lashes onto her cheeks. “She’s…she’s not here…not with us anymore.”

“I am so sorry to hear that. She seemed really sweet and was so talented for her age.” Sam handed Maggie a napkin to wipe away the tears that were falling steadily now and felt a wave of sadness wash over her for the woman. She could tell the tears were a mixture of sad ones and happy ones as she remembered her sister and the day that they had went to the concert together and wished there was something she could do for her, when suddenly an idea popped in to her head. Making a mental note to run out to her house that afternoon, maybe when Daryl was spending time with Jacey, Sam finished off the last of the food on her plate and motioned for Jacey to do the same so they could get to church on time.

Later that afternoon, after what seemed like a longer than usual service, Samantha ushered Jacey up the stairs to the apartment. “Go get changed out of your church clothes, Jace.” She barely managed to get out as someone knocked on the backdoor. Snapping her fingers at Jacey to go change her clothes, Sam opened the door so that Daryl could come inside. “She’s changing out of her church clothes real quick. Shouldn’t be long.”

“Um, ok.” Daryl mumbled as he headed in the direction that Sam motioned for him to go. Standing awkwardly in the middle of the overtly feminine living room, a dark figure amidst a sea of soft hues and floral patterns, he shoved his hands in to his pockets and said, “Thanks for this…for letting me get to know her.”

“I couldn’t not let her have this chance.” Sam replied honestly as she crossed the room to stand closer to Daryl, not wanting to risk Jacey hearing what she had to say next. “She doesn’t know about your dad…about how he was with you and Merle. It’s up to you to let her know that if you want to, ok? Um, and with us…she knows we were married and that it didn’t work out. I haven’t said anything bad about you…about us.”

“Appreciate that. So, my dad, he never hurt her? Not like with me and Merle?” Daryl asked hopefully as he asked the one question that had been burning a hole through him since learning about Jacey last night. The thought of his father treating that little girl the way he and his brother had been treated just broke his heart.

“Not that I am aware of. She was really young when he left her with me, so even if he did…she doesn’t remember it. And, there’s not any marks.” Sam couldn’t help but feel sorry for Daryl once again for the torment his father had unleashed on him during his childhood and was thankful that Jacey had not had to experience the same sort of cruelty. An awkward moment of silence passed between them before they were rescued by the sounds of Jacey running down the hallway.

“Hi!” Jacey said with breathless excitement as she came to a screeching halt beside Samantha, where she was suddenly overcome with a case of shyness at the sight of Daryl. Partially hiding behind Samantha’s long skirt, she poked her head out from behind the material and pinned him with doe like eyes. “You’re my brother?”

“Looks that way, kid.” Daryl said with one of his half smiles that used to send chills down Samantha’s spine and apparently still had that effect as she felt her insides liquefy at the sight. Daryl squatted down so that he was eye level with Jacey, who was still protectively covering herself with Sam’s skirt, and stuck his hand out to her. “Nice to meet you, name’s Daryl.”

Samantha watched with a smile as Jacey slowly eased out from behind her and timidly reached out to shake Daryl’s hand. “Hi, I’m Jacey.” The little girl replied timidly as she slowly inched closer to Daryl. 

After the introductions were made and the proverbial ice was broken, Samantha left the two of them alone in the living room to go change. Since the apartment was only a one bedroom, she had let Jacey take it so she could have a room of her own where she could play with her toys in privacy. Therefore, Sam had been left with only two options…the foldout couch or constructing a makeshift room in the small loft area above the hallway that was originally intended for storage. While the sloping ceiling only left one small place to change clothes while standing fully upright, there was enough room available that she had managed to cram a queen sized mattress in to the corner, along with an end table and dresser. After adding a privacy curtain, which was really just two bed sheets attached to the ceiling, Samantha had been satisfied with her improvised bedroom. Once she was in the loft, Sam pulled the curtain shut behind her and quickly removed her church clothes in favor of jeans and a button up plaid shirt. So long as Daryl and Jacey were handling things smoothly, she fully intended to take a horse up to her old house for some long forgotten items that she thought might put a smile on some faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos.


	13. Chapter 13

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_Atlanta, the Tabernacle: Saturday, February 12th, 2005_

 

Beth Greene could honestly not recall a single moment in her life as exciting as the one she was experiencing now. Of course, she was only eleven years old, so the fact that she had not lived a very exiting life was not surprising. She had never in a million years thought that she had a chance at winning tickets to see Sam Collins in concert, much less scoring backstage passes as well. It had taken a long time for her and Maggie to convince their father to bring them in to the city for a concert, but in the end, Hershel Greene was a big old softie when it came to the happiness of his girls and he had caved in on about hour four of being pestered by the both of them. Now, Beth was clutching the tickets in her hand as they stood outside of the Tabernacle and waited for someone to fetch them to go backstage and meet her absolute most favorite singer, Samantha Collins. She was practically dizzy with excitement! 

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the three of them were allowed to bypass the line that was already forming outside and be escorted inside like they were very important people. The guy that let them in was cute enough to catch Maggie’s attention and Beth couldn’t help but roll her eyes at her sister’s obvious attempt at flirting as they were given special lanyards with the backstage passes clipped on to the hook so they could wear them around their necks. Beth bounced on her heels as they waited in the hallway outside the area where they would get to meet Sam before the show and she thought she might pass out from the anticipation. 

“Right this way, ya’ll.” The cute guy from before, whose name Beth couldn’t remember, ushered them in to the room where Samantha was already waiting for them. Beth thought that Sam looked prettier in person that she did on the cover of her CD’s and silently said a prayer that one day she might look just as pretty. Decked out in a strapless red dress that cinched in at her tiny waist with a black woven belt and flared out to land just above her knees and the most awesome pair of black cowboy boots with rhinestones on them, Beth couldn’t help but hope she could pull off that type of outfit one day. 

“Hey, ya’ll. I’m Sam Collins, come on in.” Samantha said with a bright smile as she crossed the room to where her guests were standing. Offering her hand to the older gentleman first, she shook each one of their hands and motioned for them to take a seat. “So, which one of you won the tickets?”

“I did.” Beth managed to get out, her heart was racing in her chest and beating so loudly that she was sure Sam could hear it. Taking a seat on the crushed velvet couch next to Sam, she continued, “Kept calling and hanging up until it finally happened. I was finally the tenth caller!”

“Well congratulations! I’ve never been able to win anything doing call-in’s, you’re lucky! So, Beth, tell me about yourself.” Sam leaned back against the couch and pulled one leg up to rest on the bottom cushion as she angled herself in a better position to talk to the young girl.

“Um, I’m eleven and um…one day I hope to grow up and be just like you.” Beth gushed, her eyes filled with stars and shining brightly with hope. “I love to sing and I’ve been playing the piano since I was little.”

“She’s really good. You wouldn’t think it with her being so young, but she is.” Maggie chimed in with a proud sisterly smile. “She sings at the church all the time.”

“That’s how I started out, you know? Church choir, then festivals and weddings, which eventually led me here.” Sam left out the fact that she often sang in a lot of bars, figuring their dad wouldn’t be too happy to hear that. “Hmmm, well now I’m curious. I want to hear you sing. My piano’s out on stage unfortunately, but I’ve got my guitar…how about you pick a song and help me warm up?”

“Really?” Beth asked breathlessly, sure she had misheard the woman and couldn’t believe her eyes when Sam nodded and picked up her guitar. “Oh. Wow! Ok, um…can we sing my favorite one? _Just a Kiss?_ ”

Sam figured that would be the one that Beth would want to hear as it was the first one she had released eons ago and seemed to be the one that was most popular with the younger crowd. It had been a long time since she had sang that particular song, but each time she was asked to do so Sam always obliged even though it brought back memories of her first and only love, the one she never managed to get over. “Sure thing. On the count of three?” 

_“Lyin’ here with you so close to me…It’s hard to fight these feelings when it’s so hard to breathe…Caught up in this moment…Caught up in your smile,”_ As soon as she started singing, Beth felt her nerves fade away, the way they always did when she let go and let the music take over. Tapping her foot in rhythm to Sam as she played the guitar, Beth continued, _“I’ve never opened up to anyone…So hard to hold back when I’m holding you in my arms…We don’t need to rush this…Let’s just take it slow…”_

Herschel watched Beth sing with Sam and was glad that he had caved in and brought the girls to the concert. Seeing the happiness on his daughter’s faces, watching his baby girl sing with one of her idols, those were things that a father didn’t want to miss in their lives. Pride swelled in his heart as Beth matched Sam note for note, her voice never wavering as she belted out the lyrics to a song that even he knew by heart after hearing it on the radio at their house day in and day out. 

“So baby I’m alright, oh, let’s do this right, with just a kiss goodnight…With a kiss goodnight…kiss goodnight,” Beth opened her eyes as she sang the last lines and tried not to be sad that the experience was over. Grinning widely, she smiled at Sam as she strummed the last few notes before sitting her guitar over to the side to lean against the couch.

“You weren’t lying.” Sam said to Maggie before turning her attention back to Beth. She couldn’t help but feel like she was staring at a younger version of herself, with the wide eyes full of childhood innocence, the wild mane of blonde hair and a voice that was way beyond Beth in years. “That was really good, Beth.”

“Thank you. That was amazing!” Beth bounced in her seat with childhood delight and beamed a luminous smile at her father. “Best day ever!”

“Unfortunately, Jake is waving at me so it’s almost show time.” Sam frowned, actually a little sad that it was time to leave her guests. “I hope ya’ll have a great time at the show and I am so happy I got a chance to meet you…and sing with you. Can’t say I’ve ever sang with a fan! Um, ya’ll want an autograph before you go?”

By the time they were ready to go, Sam had furnished both Maggie and Beth with autographed posters and given them both hugs before moving on to Hershel, who blushed profusely when the young singer gave him a hug as well. They were nearing the door, when Sam called out their dad, “Mr. Greene, wait a second.”

“Here.” Sam held out a card to Beth’s father and said, “If Beth ever decides she wants to pursue a singing career, call my agent. He’s super nice and works well with the younger crowd. And, if she ever needs any help, you just tell him to call me, ok?”

“Thank you for this, Miss Collins,” Hershel replied honestly as he put the card in to his wallet. “When the girls said they wanted to come to a concert I was against it, but after meeting you today…after seeing how nice you were to my girls…well, I can’t thank you enough for how wonderful you’ve been. My Beth will never forget this day.”

“I enjoyed it, Mr. Greene. Sometimes people forget about the fans, but without them…well, I’d still be singing at county fairs.” Sam heard Jake bellowing her name from the opposite door and waved back at him impatiently to hush. “I’ve really got to go, but I do hope ya’ll enjoy the show.”

Sam offered her fans another smile and thanked them again, before grabbing her guitar and heading towards the stage. It would still be a few more minutes before she went on, so she stood in the wings and gave herself a silent pep talk like she did before every show. From the edge of the stage, she watched with a smile as the Greene family was ushered to their seats on the front row and wished her own family could be here for the performance, but sadly, they couldn’t quit their own lives to make it to every one of her shows. Finally, the lights dimmed and her name was announced loudly, sending chills across her skin like it always did…even after being in the limelight for four years, of touring across the United States and opening for some of the biggest country music stars, she still couldn’t believe that she was able to experience something this amazing. 

“Hey ya’ll!” She announced loudly with a beaming smile as she walked out on the stage towards the microphone. One of the conditions she had written in to every contract for a performance was that she didn’t want all the bells and whistles, didn’t need the pulsating lights and all the pomp and circumstance. All she wanted was her band, her microphone and a few lights. Nothing special. Standing in front of the audience, she slipped the guitar over her head and made sure the strap was comfortable before continuing, “Well, if my band doesn’t mind a little change of plans…I’d like to start off with a different song than what we had planned on…something old.” Turning to her band mates, she asked, “Guys, do you remember Just a Kiss? Because I’ve got a fan in the front row who says that’s her most favorite song of mine and I’d like to sing it for her.” After getting nods of approval from the guys behind her, Sam smiled down at Beth and said, “Alright Beth, this one’s for you. I just hope I can do it as much justice as you did earlier!”

_“Lyin’ here with you so close to me…”_

Song by Lady Antebellum Just a Kiss Goodnight


	14. Chapter 14

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_The present: Sunday, March 4th, 2012_

 

By the time Sam changed clothes and made her way back downstairs to where Daryl and Jacey were, all the shyness and awkwardness had faded away and they were sitting around the coffee table flipping through an old photo album. Peering over Jacey’s head, Sam looked down and saw pictures of the little girl from when she had first come to live with Sam. Interrupting them, she asked, “You two ok here for a while? I need to make a quick run up to the old house. I shouldn’t be gone too long.”

“By yourself?” Daryl asked without thinking about who he was talking to, he was just accustomed to members of his group not going off alone. 

“I’ll be fine. We’ve got guard patrol, remember.” Sam patted Jacey on the head and asked, “You ok with Daryl watching you while I’m gone?”

“Yup.” Jacey tilted her head up to look at Samantha and asked, “Whatcha getting at the house? I thought we brought everything here.”

“No, sweetie, we just brought what we needed. This place wouldn’t hold all our stuff, silly.” Samantha chuckled and shook her head at Jacey, who had already turned her attention back to Daryl and the photo album. Sam reached up to the top shelf of a nearby bookshelf and grabbed her pistol and holster, which she stuck in her belt. “I won’t be gone long, I promise.” 

Clamoring down the backstairs, Samantha decided against using one of the horses in case she needed to bring several items back and opted to just walk to the mile and a half to the house that her parent’s had refused to leave. Parked by the front step was one of the two golf carts her father used to get around town. Rigged by one of her brother’s to charge using solar power, they weren’t fast, but they at least got you from one place to the other without having to walk. Knowing her parents were still in town at the church, Samantha hopped in the cart without bothering to tell anyone she was taking it and headed down the street, winding through the subdivision, until she was at her former house. 

Pulling in to the driveway that curved around the front yard, Sam parked in front of the red brick two story home that she had purchased at the ripe old age of twenty-three. While most up and coming musicians would have likely opted for something fancier and definitely something not down the street from their parents, Samantha had snapped up the property before it had been officially put on the market. With five bedrooms, six bathrooms, a den and a living room, a massive kitchen, a pool, and even a recording studio that she’d had designed down in the basement, it was more than she needed at the time, but in her mind she fully intended to grow in to the home and raise a family there one day. Of course, God had other plans and she and Jacey had been forced to move in closer to town where it was safer for their tiny family. 

Using the key she dug out from the front pocket of her blue jeans, Sam unlocked the door and stepped inside with the usual feeling of sadness that she no longer lived there. Empty for a year and a half, the interior sported a layer of dust and an eerie feeling that often accompanied empty homes. With her gun drawn just in case, because you never knew if a place was a hundred percent safe these days, she made her way up the stairs to the room at the end of the darkened hallway that had served as her storage room for memorabilia. Easing the door open, she inched around the edge of the room and opened the blinds on the massive window to let the sunlight pour in and light her expedition. Sam put her gun down on the floor within arm’s length from where she sat, and started going through the many boxes that filled the room. The item she was looking for was somewhere in this room, that much she was sure of, but since she had never taken the time to go through the boxes after quitting the music industry and moving home, she had no clue as to where it might be.

By the time she came across the item she was searching for the afternoon light was fading and Sam realized she had spent way more time at the house than she had originally planned. But, feeling triumphant, she pulled the picture she had come for out of the plastic slot of the photo album. Smiling, she looked down at the image of her with the Greene family from the concert at the Tabernacle. It was her only copy, but she knew that Maggie would treasure it more than she ever could. Sam sat it aside and started to return the photo album to the box, when a pack of pictures at the bottom caught her eye. While she had a ton of photo albums in the room, she knew of only one set of pictures that she had tucked away many years ago and never put in to an album. They were from a disposable camera that she had driven to the next town to have developed so that her parents wouldn’t hear about the pictures that were on it. With a shaky hand, Sam reached in to the box and pulled out the packet of pictures and sat them in her lap; afraid to open up the paper wrapper and look inside at the memories she had tucked away a long time ago.

Mustering up the courage to open the slip of paper, she took out the stack of pictures and was instantly brought to tears at the sight of a young Daryl smiling up from her. She recalled the day it was taken as though it was yesterday; the feel of his hands on her skin, the smell of him as he wrapped his arms around her, the feel of the scruff on his unshaven face against her neck as he nuzzled her gently. There, smiling up at the camera, was the love her life, grinning up at her sleepily as she straddled his waist and snapped a picture of him in bed. Sam had taken the picture the morning after the first time they’d had sex…the first time Daryl had made love to her for hours until the hazy rays of sunlight peaked in to the room and spread its golden hue across their naked flesh. 

Flipping through the pictures, there wasn’t a single one that was inappropriate…nothing that could even hold a candle to the selfies that teenagers sent to one another before the turn, but back then Sam had gone to great lengths to make sure that no one but herself, Daryl and a photo developer over an hour away saw them. They were too intimate, too special for anyone else to see. One by one, she went through the pictures and focused on each image for longer than she should have until finally, she was at the last picture of the stack…the one that caused her to finally fall apart. Tears fell from her eyes as she looked down at a picture she had long since forgotten…the image of her head resting on Daryl’s chest, sleeping peacefully, his hand rested lightly on her hair as though he had been stroking it, and an expression of pure love stared up at her in his eyes as he held the camera above them to capture the moment. 

_“Picture perfect memories scattered all around the floor…”_ Sam whispered the first line of one of her biggest hits as she surveyed the pictures that laid on the floor around her. She recalled a night long ago when she had been in the same position, except she had been in the house that she had shared with Daryl and had a half empty bottle of whiskey sitting on the floor beside her as she poured through snapshots of their relationship; a relationship that had burned brightly and died out too quickly. 

And that was how Daryl found her, sitting cross legged in the darkened room while holding that last picture while she sobbed. Her attention was focused so intently on the picture in her hands, on her heartbreak, that Sam never heard the front door open, never heard his footsteps on the stairs or heard him open the door to the room where she was located. In fact, she was so engrossed in her emotions that had it been anyone that wished her harm, Sam would have never saw her death coming. 

“Sam? You ok?” Daryl asked as he crossed the room in a few long strides, hurrying to her side when he heard her crying. Squatting down, he placed the flashlight on the table beside them and looked down at what she was holding on to so tightly. Seeing the image of the two of them in bed, knowing exactly when it was taken, hit him hard. Feeling like he had been punched in the chest, Daryl sank down to join Samantha on the floor and reached out to push aside the lock of hair that was hiding her face from his view. When she turned her head towards him and Daryl saw the streaks of tears on her face, he reached out and gently wiped away the puddle of moisture under her right eye; his touch lingering on her skin longer than necessary. 

“I…I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to take this long.” Sam muttered between sniffles as she wiped at the tears on her face. She thought she had cried her last tear over Daryl Dixon a long time ago, but clearly she was wrong. Seeing the pictures of them from when they were in love, pictures she had hidden away like she had done with nearly everything else that reminded her of him, except the one tiny picture in the locket, but having him here with her…sitting on the floor, staring at her with those beautiful blue eyes full of concern for her well-being, was just too much for Samantha. Unable to wipe away the old tears before fresh ones spilled on to her cheeks, she sobbed loudly and dropped the picture to the floor so that she could cover her face with her hands; so she could hide her tears from Daryl. 

When Daryl had left Jacey in the care of Samantha’s parents so that he could come looking for her, he never imagined that they would end up like this. Daryl never thought Sam would ever end up in his arms again. Hearing Sam’s sobs and seeing the tears fall from her eyes was just too much for Daryl and he couldn’t resist reaching out and pulling her into his arms to comfort her…the fact that she hadn’t resisted his touch showed just how upset Sam was. Stroking her hair gently, Daryl held on to her long after the afternoon sun gave up and let the moon take over the sky. 

The room was growing darker by the minute, the pale glow from the flashlight perched on the table next to them offering up only a narrow beam, when Samantha forced herself to relinquish her hold on Daryl. Wiping her eyes, she scooted back to where she had been sitting when he came in to the room and hastily started gathering up the pictures that had brought on the emotional breakdown. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. I don’t know what came over me.” Samantha explained between sniffles.

“Sam…Samantha, its ok.” Daryl tried to get her attention as Sam stuffed the photos back in to the wrapper with shaky hands. He watched helplessly as she focused on cleaning up the area instead of paying him any attention. Sighing, Daryl reached out to put his hand on her shoulder to try and get Sam to look at him. “Sam, we need to talk.”

“Don’t, Daryl.” Sam jerked away from his touch and scrambled to her feet. Holding her hands out in front of her defensively, as though she was prepared if he tried to touch her again, she stepped back as he stood up. “We don’t need to talk. We don’t need to do anything. There is no we to discuss. I shouldn’t have let you hold me like that, I shouldn’t have let myself get that upset over…over the past.”

“I’m sorry, Sam. Know I keep saying that and it don’t mean nothing because…because you don’t know me now. I’ve changed, Sam…” Daryl pleaded with his eyes to her to give him a chance to make things better, to show her that he wasn’t the man he was before, but she refused to meet his gaze. 

“Look Daryl, what happened between us was a long time ago. You said you were sorry and I appreciate that, but there’s nothing to talk about now. It’s in the past, we both made mistakes and it should never have happened…at all. It was all a huge mistake, ok?” Sam knew in her heart that loving Daryl would never be a mistake, despite how it had all fallen apart, but in order to protect her heart now she had to let him believe that she wished their love had never happened. Gathering up the albums she had set aside to take back to Jacey, she eased the packet of photographs of her and Daryl in to one of them without him noticing. “You are more than welcome to spend as much time with Jacey as you want. I want her to know you. But with us, there’s nothing left to talk about.” 

Daryl watched helplessly as Samantha brushed past him without a second glance and disappeared from the room. He desperately wanted to go after her, to make her listen to his apologies and tell her once again that he was a different man now, but he knew that she wouldn’t listen to him. The only way to make her realize how much he had changed, how he had grown into a better person, was to show her and that was going to take nothing but time. Luckily, barring any disasters, these days they had nothing but time on their hands.


	15. Chapter 15

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

Sunday, June 13th, 1999: After midnight-early morning hours

 

By the time their last set finished, it was well past one in the morning and on the verge of being time for the bartender to shout out last call. With her guitar case in hand, Sam bid farewell to the others and headed across the bar to where Daryl and Cassie were waiting for her. There had been a discussion earlier in the night between the girls that led to the decision that Cassie would drive home in the Camaro so that Samantha could ride with Daryl if he offered. However, judging by the lopsided grin and glassy eyed expression on her best friend, Samantha could tell that the plan had apparently fallen apart. Clearly intoxicated, Cassie wobbled a bit on her feet as she exited the booth to greet Sam as she approached them.

“Sammie! You’re awesome, have I told you that lately?” Cassie’s voice slurred ever so slightly as she threw her arms around Samantha and placed a sloppy wet kiss on her cheek. “I love you!”

“I love you, too, Cass.” Samantha couldn’t help but grin as her drunken friend danced around her in circles. Shaking her head, she slipped past Cassie and slid her guitar case in to the booth opposite of Daryl. “How much has she had exactly?”

“Ain’t got a clue. Only bought her one.” Daryl reached out and grabbed Sam around the waist and pulled her over to him. “Guess you gotta be getting home?”

“More like I have to get her home.” Sam frowned and pointed at Cassie who was now leaning against the booth beside her. “I’m staying with the drunk one tonight. She was supposed to stay somewhat sober so that she could drive my car and I could maybe spend a little time with you. Clearly, she failed.”

“Hey! I am perfectly fine to drive!” As if to prove her the validity of her alleged sobriety, Cassie stuck one foot out and tried to balance on the other. Although she failed miserably and lurched to one side, she proclaimed herself perfectly capable of operating vehicle. “So you two can go play kissy face somewhere.”

“Uh, I think not.” Samantha replied with obvious disappointment in her voice. Sighing, she shrugged at Daryl and gave him a sad smile. “Maybe next time?”

“Hey Sam, you did great tonight.” Someone said over Sam’s shoulder, turning around she found the other guitarist standing behind her. “Thank you, Ryan. I had a really good time. Anytime you guys need me, just holler.”

“You know we will. One of these days we’ll talk you in to joining us permanently.” Ryan smiled and hoisted his guitar bag further up on to his shoulder. Glancing over to where Cassie was now sitting half in the booth with one leg still sticking out onto the floor, he asked, “You going to be able to get her home?”

“I’m driving!” Cassie half slurred and half yelled, although it was mostly muffled since her face was buried in her arms that were crossed on the table. Hearing Samantha’s protests, Cassie looked up at her with a pouty expression and said, “But you were gonna go with Daryl, you can’t drive me home.”

“Well, I clearly can’t, Cassie…I have to get you home and my car needs to come with us. It’ll be ok, Daryl understands.” Sam pointed out a little too harshly, but Cassie didn’t seem to notice in her current state. 

“I can drive your car and Cassie home, Sam.” Ryan offered with a shrug. “We’re going right by Collins. The guys can follow me there.”

“Oh, Ryan, that’s so sweet, but I can’t ask you to do that.” Sam replied, knowing that asking someone to take on the task of Cassie’s welfare just so she could spend a couple hours with Daryl was absurd. 

“It’s no problem. We can stop and eat at that diner downtown. They’re still open all night, right?” Ryan gestured to the other guys in the van who had just come back in to the bar after loading equipment in to the van. Shaking his head at Cassie, who had suddenly received another burst of energy and was back to dancing around them in circles and pointed out, “I’m sure she needs to eat something anyway.”

Hearing Cassie shout out that she was starved sealed the deal for Samantha, since she wasn’t hungry and didn’t want to deal with taking her friend in to their local diner while intoxicated. Digging her keys out of her pocket, Sam handed them over to Ryan and said, “You remember where she lives?”

“Same place I dropped ya’ll off at last time?” Ryan took the keys from Sam and motioned to Cassie that they were leaving. “I’ll get her home. Don’t worry.” 

Once they were outside in the parking lot, Sam shoved her guitar case in to the backseat of her car and buckled Cassie in to the passenger seat. “You, behave, ok?”

“Yes, Mother Sam.” Cassie lopsidedly smiled up at Sam and said, “You, don’t behave, ok?” 

“I’ll see you in a couple of hours.” Sam shook her head as Cassie erupted in to a fit of giggles and pressed a kiss on to the window of Sam’s car. Sam watched as Ryan carefully backed out of the parking spot and pulled out onto the road, leaving her alone in the dark with Daryl. Suddenly nervous without Cassie as a distraction, Sam chewed on her bottom lip and stared up at him. “So, guess it’s just us now.”

“Finally.” Daryl smirked and placed his helmet on Sam’s head. Dropping his eyes from her gaze, he buckled the strap and said, “How long I got you for?”

Samantha looked up in to Daryl’s eyes and had to fight the urge to say she’d stay with him as long as he wanted her to. “So long as I’m there before Cassie’s parents get home from work at six, I’m good.” She told him instead of what was running through her mind. Using the hair tie on her wrist, Samantha pulled her hair back in to a low knot at the nape of her neck. Realizing Daryl didn’t have a helmet, she asked, “Where’s your helmet?”

“Only got the one.” Daryl shrugged and double checked the strap on the helmet to make sure it was fitted on her head securely. He would much rather go without a helmet and keep Samantha’s head safe instead of his. Satisfied that his helmet fit Sam well enough, “Ready?”

Sam nodded nervously and eyeballed the motorcycle carefully as Daryl slung one leg over it to sit down. She had been told all her life to never get on a motorcycle, that they were nothing but death traps, and yet…after only a moment of hesitation, she crawled on to the seat behind Daryl. Easing down on to the seat, Sam widened her legs enough to fit snuggly against Daryl’s back and wrapped her arms around his waist; the warmth of his body pressed against hers, the feel of him pressed against her inner thighs, was enough to have her body tingling with anticipation. 

“Hold on tight.” Daryl said as he put his hands on her forearms, felt the tightly coiled muscles and realized how nervous she was. Sliding his hands down her arms, he wrapped his hands around hers and lifted one to his mouth to kiss her knuckles lightly. “Ain’t no reason to be scared…not gonna let you get hurt.”

Sam’s heart skipped a beat when the motorcycle roared to life and held on to Daryl just a little bit tighter than likely necessary as he backed out of the spot and slowly eased out on to the roadway. Legs pressed snugly against Daryl, Sam laid her cheek against his shoulder blade and squeezed her eyes shut tightly as he picked up speed on the highway. The engine roared loudly and vibrated through her body in a strangely soothing manner. It didn’t take long before she felt brave enough to open her eyes and peek over Daryl’s shoulder at the roadway in front of them. 

Daryl felt Sam’s hold lessen from a death grip to a firm grasp. Taking his left hand off the handlebar momentarily, he reached around and pressed his hand against her thigh and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He left his hand on her thigh for a few moments before returning to it to the handle. Giving the throttle a gentle nudge, he sped them up a few miles an hour, eager to get to the place he had in his mind. 

Always more at home off to himself, often smack in the middle of the woods, Daryl had stumbled across a dirt path just wide enough to fit his motorcycle in just off the main road that led down to a grassy spot near a pond. The secluded spot was barely a five mile ride away from Collins and hopefully a good place to spend a few moments alone with Samantha for once. 

About forty five minutes later, Daryl slowed to a crawl and nosed the bike off the roadway and turned off the bike. After he put the kickstand down, he turned his head to the left and peered at Sam over his shoulder. “You alright back there?”

“That was…exhilarating! I had no idea it would be that much fun!” Sam accepted Daryl’s outstretched hand after he got off the bike and let him help her off the bike. As he unbuckled the strap and removed the helmet for her, Sam gushed, “No wonder you ride that thing. Wow!” 

“Glad you liked it.” Daryl replied, honestly happy that Samantha had enjoyed being on his bike that much since it would make it easier for them if they didn’t have to always take her car. Although, with its loud engine, his bike wasn’t much less conspicuous than her flashy red car. Taking her hand in his, Daryl walked backwards a few steps and pulled her along with him.

Sam followed him with blind faith down the rocky pathway towards a destination unknown, the darkness of night obscuring anything that she might find remotely recognizable. After maybe a quarter of a mile, the narrow trail opened up to a grassy clearing with a small pond off to one side. Smiling, Sam couldn’t believe her eyes when she realized where Daryl had taken her. “I can’t believe you know about this place.”

“You been here?” Daryl thought he had brought Sam someone where that she had never been before. “This some sort of make out spot around here?”

“No, it’s not…at least I don’t think it is. I come here to write sometimes.” Sam let him pull her further in to the clearing towards the water’s edge. “It’s quiet here…so peaceful. I can think better out here.”

Hearing that she hadn’t been out here to make out with some guy before made him happy. Stopping a few feet from the edge of the pond, Daryl shrugged his shoulders and said, “Ain’t got nothing to sit on, sorry.”

“Grass doesn’t bother me.” Samantha replied as sat down on the ground to prove it to Daryl and patted the ground beside her for him to sit down, too. Once he was settled next to her, Sam said, “Thanks for coming all the way out there tonight. I liked having you there…even though I didn’t get to spend a lot of time with you.”

“Sorry I was late.” Daryl replied, instantly thinking she meant that his tardiness was the reason they didn’t spend much time together and not the fact she was on stage most of the night. “Something came up with work…then I had to help my brother out with something.”

“That’s cool. So, your brother, he lives here, too?” Sam asked curiously as she truly wanted to know more about Daryl, although she desperately just wanted to lean forward and kiss him instead of talking. 

“Sometimes. He…um…travels a lot…for work.” Daryl managed to get out, not wanting to lie to Samantha any more than he needed to. “Merle, well, he don’t stay in one place too long.”

“Travels a lot, huh? Must be nice. What’s he do?” Sam reached up and removed the hair tie and shook out her hair. After running a hand through her locks, she inched closer to Daryl until their arms were brushing against one another and just that small amount of contact caused goose bumps on her arm. 

“Sales, mostly. Works on cars sometimes, too.” Daryl knew that the way he worded his response made it sound like Merle worked in the car business, but he didn’t think that Samantha was quite ready to hear that his brother was a meth addict that ran drugs to supply his addiction. 

“So, only the one brother? Any sisters?” Sam slid her hand across the ground between them until their hands were touching one another; tracing the edge of his hand with her pinky finger. She could see him shake his head no in the pale light of the moon and said, “You’re lucky then. I have four brothers…all older than me and all entirely too protective. It’s like having four extra parents sometimes.”

“Heard one of ‘ems a cop, right?” Which had been enough to damn near scare him in to not pursuing his attraction to Samantha in the first place. “And your dad, he’s something, right? Like councilman?”

“Yep, Daddy’s the mayor…it’s kind of a thing in our family, my granddaddy and great granddaddy were, too. And, there’s James, but he goes by Bo, my oldest brother works at the police department. He got a promotion a few weeks ago to Lieutenant.” Sam rambled on about the positions of authority her family held without paying any notice to the fear that etched across Daryl’s face. “And, Josh is an attorney, mostly family court, but it’s a small town so sometimes he branches out. Um…David is a pharmacist, he works over at the place by the hospital. And, last would be Tyler, he’s only a little older than you actually, which is kinda weird now that I think about it. Um, he’s a history teacher at the high school and assistant coach for the football team. Then, there’s me and Mom…she doesn’t actually work anywhere, but she does a lot of volunteer stuff around town. And that’s it…I will try to quit rambling now.”

“Don’t mind it when you ramble. It’s cute.” Daryl replied honestly. He didn’t much like talking about himself and normally couldn’t have cared less about hearing someone else talk about themselves either, but with Sam, he wanted to hear everything there was to hear about her. “Take it you weren’t exactly planned? With your brothers being so much older and all.”

“Planned, yes…but not so much planned to be had when they were in their mid-forties.” No longer satisfied with just tracing the outer edge of his hand with her pinky finger, Sam slid her hand over his and placed her fingers between his; giddy when he picked up his hand and laced their fingers together. “What about your parents? They live around here?”

“Nah. Mom died a long time ago and I ain’t talked to my dad since I left home.” The topic of his family was a sore one that he never talked about with anyone and was surprised that he had even said that much to Samantha about them. “Just me and Merle now.”

Sam sensed that the topic of his parents was a touchy subject for Daryl judging by the way his body tensed up and his voice grew gruffer, almost coarse and dark. Letting the subject drop, she leaned her head back and admired the blanket of stars hanging above their heads in the dark sky. “Aren’t they beautiful? When I was little, like five, I wanted to move to a star and live there because it was sparkly. I even wrote this silly song about it.” Sam said with a good natured laugh at herself. “Of course, it wasn’t as bad as the song I wrote when I found out the whole Santa Clause thing was a sham.”

“You do that often? Write songs, I mean.” Daryl never looked up at the stars, preferring instead to watch Samantha as she gazed longingly at the sky with a soft smile on her face. 

“All the time. It’s a curse sometimes, really. If I get sad or happy or angry, I can’t just say it…I have to write it down and sing about it.” Sam looked away from the sky and turned to face Daryl and found him staring back at her. From the look in his eyes, she knew he was going to kiss her and she instinctively leaned forward to meet him in the middle. The moment his lips pressed against hers, Sam felt a tingle of pure lust spread throughout her body and for the first time in her life finally felt what others had been singing about for years. Suddenly, the lines from one of her favorite Madonna songs popped in to her head and Sam smiled against Daryl’s lips as she finally felt what the song was about…

_‘I never wanted anyone like this…It’s all brand new… you’ll feel it in my kiss.’_

Needing to be closer to Sam, wanting to escape the odd angle of trying to kiss while sitting side by side, Daryl slid his left hand down Samantha’s back and moved his right hand from her hair to rest on the other side of her on the grass. Slowly, never letting his lips part from hers, he maneuvered himself into a position to be able to ease her backwards on to the ground and was pleased when she offered no resistance. While he had not planned on the evening getting this far, he certainly had no intentions of taking it any further…but only because he figured Samantha might scoff at the idea of having sex in the middle of nowhere, on the grass, out in the open. Daryl, on the other hand, had little to no qualms about screwing someone in the grass, but he at least had the decency to consider what Samantha would think about the situation.

Settling between her legs, Daryl propped himself on one elbow and tried to keep as much of his weight off of her as he could. His other hand settled on her thigh and slowly trailed it upwards until the soft denim of her jeans disappeared and was replaced with the silken material of her top. He slid his hand tentatively along the edge of the silky material, teased his fingers along the smooth skin of her belly before slipping his hand beneath her shirt. Frustrated when he discovered that the material was less stretchy than he thought it would be, and thus he couldn’t move his hand further up the satiny skin of her stomach, Daryl fumbled with the buttons in hopes that he could remove the shirt.

Samantha’s mind was clouded with desire. Daryl’s lips were seemingly everywhere all at once, which she knew wasn’t possible, but somehow he was able to kiss her lips, her neck, the soft spot at the hollow of her throat, her collar bone and nibble at her earlobes almost all at the same time. Dizzy with almost overwhelming emotion and desire, Sam relished the feel of his hands on her and the taste of him on her lips. There were feelings, tingles and shivers, that she had never experienced before that were both strange and exciting at the same time. She was lost to him, lost in his touch, lost in her want for him, lost in the magic of the moment, until the feel of his hand beneath her shirt, tugging open the buttons one by one, brought her crashing back to reality. Tensing up, her breath hitched in her chest and Sam could feel the moment Daryl realized something was wrong. 

He felt her tense in his hands. Sam was no longer eliciting those tiny moans of desire that had him on the verge of ripping open all the infuriating buttons on her shirt instead of easing them open gently. She was all but frozen in his arms. Dropping the button he had between his fingers, he lifted his head up from where he had been kissing along the delicate skin of her neck, Daryl looked down at her with a curious gaze. “What’s wrong?”

“I…I, uh…” Sam fumbled with her words as her head spun and her heart fluttered wildly in her chest. She was at a complete loss for words, because, really…how did you explain to the man you were making out with that you were scared to go any further, because that’s as far as you had ever been. Squeezing her eyes shut so she could avoid his gaze, she whispered, “I need to slow down. I…I’ve never…”

Daryl’s eyes widened when he realized what Samantha was trying to say. Quickly removing his hand from her belly, he smoothed down the disheveled shirt and wondered if he should fix the buttons he had managed to get open, too. Sam’s eyes were still shut tightly and she had her bottom lip clenched between her teeth, like she was trying to keep from crying. Feeling like a shit, Daryl asked, to clarify the situation, “So, you’re a…um, a virgin?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything. I…I didn’t think things would move this fast.” Nodding her head, Sam let her eyes open slowly to find Daryl still staring at her intently. While he was still laying between her legs and no longer had his hand up her shirt, the evidence of his arousal was still nestled against her and just that contact had her body responding, wanting to move her center against him and feel his hardened length pressed tightly against her. Her virginity had never been anything that was held on to for religious reasons, which she figured was what he was probably thinking. Instead, it was due to a combination of being a late bloomer, having an over protective family and never feeling what she felt with Daryl for any other guy she had dated. “It’s not because I don’t want to…you know. I just never got around to doing it.” She admitted and was glad that it was too dark for Daryl to see her red glow of embarrassment because she felt like such a little girl.

“Well…shit…um, ok then.” Daryl managed to get out. He had no idea what to say at the moment, completely taken by surprise as Sam’s confession. Looking down at her, watching her nibble nervously on her bottom lip and seeing the worry about his reaction in her eyes, Daryl realized that she was worrying about him being upset with her about still being a virgin. “So, we take it slow.”

“Really?” Sam whispered questioningly at Daryl’s words. She had half expected him to high tail it out of there, leaving her alone and still very much in possession of her virginity in the middle of the woods. To hear him say otherwise, had her heart swelling with happiness. Smiling up at him, she admitted, “Being with you…the way I feel…it’s the first time I’ve really wanted to do anything else…to go any further. I’m just…not there yet.”

“That’s good to know.” Daryl replied with a wry grin, knowing that he was in for at least more than his fair share of blue balls until Sam was ready to take their relationship to another level. “Not gonna make you do anything you ain’t ready for, Sam. Don’t have to worry about that with me. We take it slow and when you’re ready…we go from there.”

Sam felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulders and beamed happily up at Daryl. She knew that waiting period would be more difficult for him than it would for her, in theory, since it’s not like she knew what she was missing out on. Of course, she knew in the back of her head that just because he wasn’t having sex with her didn’t mean that he wasn’t getting it elsewhere and they very notion of that had her insides knotting up. But, she was aware that she was in no position, having only known him for a week, to start demanding him to remain just as chaste as she would be. Sam was just going to have to be patient and see where they ended up and if they progressed to a level that she felt comfortable going further with Daryl, then she would have to insist on a monogamous relationship. 

Daryl dipped his head down and brushed a soft kiss across Samantha’s lips before flopping over on to his back in the grass. From the noises beside him, he could tell that she was buttoning up her shirt and he laughed when she muttered a curse from doing the buttons up wrong and having to start over again. Finally, she appeared to have the garment back in order and he heard the rustle of movement and then the feeling of her against him as she snuggled up to him and put her head on his shoulder. Daryl wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head as they laid there in silence. Staring up at the night sky, he wondered once more if he was the right man for someone like Samantha, but also knew that there was no going back for him now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos!


	16. Chapter 16

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_Sunday, June 13th, 1999_

Due to the loud rumble of the motorcycle's engine, Sam had Daryl stop at the entrance to Cassie's subdivision instead of driving her all the way to her destination in hopes that they wouldn't wake anyone up at the absurdly early hour. The sky was just beginning to wake up, the horizon no longer a dark canvas spotted with twinkling stars, but now a swirling mixture of indigo, violet and magenta streaks across the canvas of an inevitable sunrise. 

Wrapped in Daryl's embrace, Sam looked up in to his eyes with longing in her eyes. Their time together was too short, summertime providing few hours of darkness for them to be together. Her heart ached at the thought of how long it might be before they saw one another again. "I don't want to go inside." She whispered, before easing up on the tips of her toes to press yet another kiss to his lips.

"When can I see you again?" Daryl asked when Sam pulled her lips away from his. With his right hand, he brushed away the tendrils of long hair that fluttered across her face in the warm morning breeze that whispered a threat of afternoon storms. 

"I might be able to get away for a little bit tomorrow afternoon." Sam answered hopefully. "After the library...when you get off work? I'll tell my Mom I need to go write for a while, she's used to that. We can meet back at the pond?"

"Call the shop if plans change." Daryl informed her before leaning down to capture her lips with his once more. Their tongues mingled, tasting one another, as their embrace became more heated; kissing one another as though it might be their last kiss goodbye. Finally, they reluctantly released their arms from around one another and Sam stepped up on to the curb and watched with a soft smile on her face as Daryl swung his leg over the motorcycle and settled himself on the seat. After he buckled the strap on the helmet and started the bike up with a thundering roar, she pressed the tips of her fingers to her lips and blew him a kiss before he took off down the roadway. 

With a sigh, Sam forced herself not to watch until he was completely out of her line of sight, knowing she needed to get inside the house and into Cassie's bedroom before her mother got home from work; her father soon to follow about an hour later. Since both of Cassie's parents worked the night shift at one of the factories at the edge of town, they could come and go as they pleased after six in the evening, but after six in the morning they had to be quiet as mice as to not wake up her parents. Sprinting down the street as best as she could in her boots, Samantha rounded the side of the Delaney's house and disappeared through the privacy fence about the time she heard a car pull up in to the driveway. Quickly, she slipped in the backdoor and crossed over in to Cassie's bedroom and closed the door softly behind her as Helen Delaney's keys hit the front door.

Sighing with relief, Samantha turned away from the bedroom door and tiptoed around the bed to the bathroom. She hated that they were having to sneak around, as though she wasn't old enough to make her own decisions. It wasn't like she was under eighteen and hadn't been living own her own for the past year while away at school. Granted it was in an all-girls dormitory, but still...she was out there on her own making her own decisions. But, deep down, Samantha knew the real reason that she was hiding Daryl from her family...and it wasn't totally to do with his age, although their nearly eight year age gap was a good chunk of the reasoning. No, some of the cause for her secrecy was because she didn't think her parents would believe Daryl was good enough for her and doubted that they would give him a chance to prove that he was. While Samantha loved her family dearly, she couldn't deny that their privilege in life often led them to look down their noses at those who weren't as high class as they were. Now, that didn't mean her family was mean towards people or treated others in the community different because of their station in life. They weren't that judgmental or snobbish, it was just that they held themselves to a higher standard than others. Hence, why most of her brothers were either married to someone of equal or higher standing in the community or not married at all. Like Tyler, he had no intentions of settling down anytime soon, but he knew well enough to keep his conquests private. Sam just didn't want her parents to judge Daryl for where he worked, how much money he may or may not have, and all the other superficial things that they might hold against him; things that just didn't matter to Samantha. All that mattered to her was the way he made her feel and how he treated her. So long as those things made her happy, Samantha didn't care about the other things.

Once inside the bathroom, having slipped past Cassie who was still dressed in the clothes she had worn to the bar and was out cold and snoring on top of the comforter, Samantha stripped out of her clothes and got in to a scalding hot shower. At after six in the morning with church right around the corner, there was no sense in going to bed. She was just going to have to force herself to stay awake through bible study, church service and then family lunch. If all went well, she might be able to sneak in a quick nap before they had to be back at the church for evening service and choir practice. 

After picking out blades of grass and detangling the knots in her hair from riding on the motorcycle, Sam stepped out of the shower and wrapped towels around her torso and her hair. She wiped off the steam from the mirror and was about to brush her teeth when a discolored spot on her neck caught her attention. Leaning forward, her eyes widened when she realized what it was. While it couldn't fully be classified as a hickey, there was a red area just under her ear that was red and angry looking. Clearly, Daryl's kisses and stubble had irritated her sensitive skin and left a raised splotchy area in their wake. Not that Samantha really minded, as she had definitely enjoyed receiving the marking, but now she had to figure out how to cover it up before church. And, since she didn't normally even wear much makeup and had never had to cover up such a thing, Sam had no idea how to do it.

Once her hair was dried and fixed ever so cleverly so that it was only pulled up on one side so that the red area wouldn't show as much, Samantha sat down at Cassie's makeup table and started inspecting various bottles and tubes of flesh tones in search of something that might do the trick. Grabbing a tube of concealer that looked kind of like her skin tone, she leaned towards the mirror and started dabbing it on experimentally.

"Need to use a yellow base if it's purple, green base if it’s red." Cassie mumbled as she pulled the pillow completely off the top of her head when she realized what Samantha was trying to do. Sitting up with a groan, she stared across the room at Sam with bleary eyes. "How bad is it?"

"Not terrible, I don't think so anyway." Sam turned around in the seat and showed Cassie the area, doubting that her friend could even see it in the dim bedroom and the distance between them. Sure enough, Cassie squinted her eyes in attempts of seeing it from where she was on the bed, but in the end she got up and walked over to Sam. Once Cassie turned on the table lamp, Sam cautiously asked, "So, what's the diagnosis?"

"Doctor says someone had a good time." Cassie replied with a smirk. "But, it's not the worst I've seen. We should be able to cover it up." Reaching over to the basket of foundations and concealers in front of Samantha, she grabbed a small tube of pasty green cover up and started dabbing it on the spot in question. After a few minutes of dabs and pats of various makeups, Cassie stood up and declared the operation a success. "We should go eat before church. I'm starving."

"Thought Ryan was going to take you to eat?" Sam turned her head from side to side and inspected the reflection staring back at her thoroughly and was satisfied that the spot was sufficiently covered up. 

"I think they went to eat, but I don't remember much...passed out shortly after leaving you. Kind of recall seeing the sign for the diner from your car and then Ryan helping me in the backdoor. Everything else? Sort of foggy." Cassie stripped out of the bar scented clothes, a mixed scent of smoke and sweat clung to the material and caused her to wrinkle her nose as she pulled the dress over her head. "Ugh, that smells horrible."

"Ryan was a gentleman, right? He didn't put the moves on you did he?" Sam asked as she put in the diamond stud earrings her parents had given her for her eighteenth birthday. "Or did you put the moves on him?"

"Ryan? Please. That boy has such a crush on you that it wouldn't matter if I was Cindy Crawford, he'd never look at me." Cassie said before shutting the bathroom door behind her, leaving Samantha staring after her with a befuddled expression. 

"Ryan? Crush on me?" Sam whispered to herself as though she expected an answer to pop out of thin air. She'd never noticed anything but what she assumed was friendship from Ryan O’Calleigh. They'd known one another for about a year now and he had never even hinted to her about anything other than being friends and occasional bandmates. Shrugging her shoulders, Sam figured Ryan saw her with Daryl and knew she was seeing someone else and hoped that none of that caused any issues with her singing with his band, because she really enjoyed spending time with those guys. 

A little less than an hour later, Sam and Cassie were sitting down to breakfast at the local diner, Marie's, the only place in Collins that stayed open all night long. In fact, it was the only place open in Collins between the hours of nine at night and six in the morning, especially on a Sunday, when everything else other than the diner and the churches shut down. 

"Um, I think I'll just have some scrambled eggs and toast this morning, Debbie. Oh, and orange juice. Thanks." Sam handed the menu to the waitress, like she even still needed to use it after eating at the place her entire life. 

"Pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs and coffee, please. Copious amounts of coffee." Cassie made a gesture with her hands that meant she needed a mug of coffee the size of a car tire and handed the menu over to the waitress. Still wearing her sunglasses, Cassie leaned over and laid her forehead on the table. "I might die."

"Punishment. You were supposed to not drink, remember?" Sam informed her with a smile. Reaching in to her purse, Sam rummaged around and produced a small bottle of headache medicine. "Here. These might help."

"Oh, you're a savior." Cassie tossed three pills into her mouth and chugged half a glass of water. Wiggling her eyebrows at Sam suggestively, she asked, "So, was last night everything you hoped it would be?"

"It was pretty much perfect. Well, almost...but overall, I had a great time." Samantha blushed as the memory of the way Daryl's hands and lips had felt on her skin popped in to her mind. "If all goes well I might get to see him tomorrow."

"Almost perfect? Sooo...still got that virginity thing going on then?" Cassie shook her head, pausing her interrogation long enough to accept a steaming cup of coffee from the waitress. Dumping a large amount of sugar in to the black liquid, she took an experimental sip before continuing, "You plan on getting rid of that any time soon?" 

"We didn't...you know, but maybe...possibly, one day in the near future." Sam bit her lip to keep from grinning like an idiot. Leaning forward, she dropped her voice to a whisper in case anyone might be privy to their conversation. "Daryl knows that I've never done it and said we'd take it slow. When I'm ready, if we get to that point, then...you know."

"I think if you're going to do it...you should be able to say it. HAVE SEX." Cassie put a great deal of emphasis on the words and said them loudly enough that her comment almost caused Samantha to crawl under the table and die from embarrassment. Laughing loudly at the bug eyed expression on Samantha's face, Cassie patted her friend on the hand and said, "He's understanding at least. Most guys that age would've just cut bait and ran. Of course, he's pretty infatuated with you already."

"Really? Infatuated? You think so?" Sam couldn't have wiped the wide grin off her face if someone had offered her a large sum of money to do so. 

"Yeah, really. Couldn't keep his eyes off you last night. That waitress, the new one with the all the hair? Kept flirting something awful with him, kinda bordered on desperate really, but he paid her no attention. None. Was like she wasn't right there with her boobs falling out of her shirt. If it weren't so damn adorable, I'd have called him pathetic." Cassie moved her coffee cup out of the way so that their plates of food could be sat down. Once the waitress was away from the table again, she said, "Wish someone would look at me that way."

"But, I do." Sam smiled at batted her eyelashes at Cassie, which got her nothing in return but a sour look. "What? Am I not pretty enough for you?"

"Shut it. You're perfect and we all know it." Cassie couldn't help but smile at Samantha's antics. "At least you love me."

"Always will." Samantha replied with conviction. Letting the conversation drop since the booth beside them was now occupied, Samantha moved on to other topics besides Daryl so that no one could eavesdrop on anything important while they ate.

After the finished eating breakfast, Samantha was standing at the register paying for their meal while Cassie was in the bathroom. The chiming of the bell above the door let her know that someone had just entered the restaurant and she turned to look over her shoulder while Debbie made change for her. Their eyes connected and Sam couldn't keep the smile on her face from forming as the door closed behind him. She just knew that someone was going to know how she felt about him with just one glance at her face. Hearing Debbie say her name her breaking eye contact to turn back to the register for her change, which she promptly put in the tip jar instead of back in her purse. 

"Need a table, sir?" Debbie asked Daryl after giving Samantha back her change. With her sky high blonde hair and purple eyeliner, Debbie was a sight in the standard outfit the waitresses wore at Marie's that were reminiscent of the one's they wore when the place opened back in the sixties. Pushing fifty, the fitted dress wasn't the most flattering outfit for Debbie, but with her friendly personality most people were able to look past it.

"No ma’am, called in an order. Dixon." Daryl said in response to Debbie's question without taking his eyes off Samantha. He nodded his head when she said she would go check on it and scooted closer to the counter where Sam was still standing. To the casual observer, it would appear as though they were two normal customers, but it was anything but that. Daryl's hand brushed against Sam's as they stood side by side and pretended not to know one another. Somehow, that small amount of contact was enough to have both their hearts quicken in pace. "Hey." He whispered softly as he glanced over to her out of the corner of his eye.

"Hey." Samantha replied breathlessly. Daryl was close enough to her that Sam could feel the heat from his body against the bare flesh of her arm and his pinky finger was barely brushing against hers, but it was enough to have her tingling all over. Smiling, she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, happy that she was able to see him again even though it had been only a few hours since they had parted ways. 

"Here you go, sugar." Debbie rounded the corner of the counter from the kitchen and laid a Styrofoam container down beside the register. "Sausage, bacon, eggs, toast. That'll be five dollars and twenty seven cents."

"Thanks." Daryl mumbled as he forked over the money for his food. Grabbing his bag with one hand, he brushed his fingers across Samantha's hand with the other one last time before getting his change back. Nodding his head to Debbie, he turned to leave and mumbled to Sam, "Ma'am.", as though they didn't know one another. 

Samantha stood there and watched as Daryl crossed the street on foot and headed in the direction of the garage, which was a block down from the diner. Realizing that he was going to work on a Sunday morning without any sleep made Sam feel bad for him. She wondered how often he worked and how many times he had to work extra since he was the only other mechanic other than Mr. Swain, who barely did anything other than the occasional wrecker run and operate the register. 

"What was Daryl doing in here?" Cassie whispered in Sam's ear as she came up beside her. Waving over her shoulder to their waitress to say goodbye, she followed Sam outside and got in the car. "Well? What, is he stalking you?"

"No, he was just getting something to eat. Looks like he was going to work." Sam backed out of the parking lot and headed in the opposite direction that Daryl had left, towards the church. Even though it was almost time for bible study, Sam wanted nothing more than to turn the car around and go see Daryl, but knew what her responsibilities for the day were and resisted the temptation. Hopefully, she would be able to see him the next afternoon, because Sam didn't know if she could wait longer than that.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to apologize for not posting last Tuesday. I honestly thought I had done so, until I started to post tonight and realized that Chapter 17 hadn't been put up. So very sorry!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

The present, Monday, March 5th, 2012

 

The next afternoon, Daryl was heading back towards town from a lucrative hunting trip, which he continued to do solo despite the groups of men that went out each morning to do the same thing. With his crossbow strapped across his back so that he could carry the collection that consisted of a turkey, a rabbit and a couple of squirrels in his hands, Daryl navigated his way through the woods on the west side of the town until he was back on the street that would lead him to the town hall where the hunters turned over what they caught to be cleaned by the people that had been assigned to do so. He'd already learned the way the town ran after only being there two days. Every person over the age of eighteen was assessed skill wise and directed to whatever job that the council felt that they would be best suited. Hunting, cooking, cleaning, childcare and gardening were where most people got placed, but there were some that got placed in the more rewarding spots of teaching, security and scavenging. 

Since their group was still new to the town and had yet to decide if it would be a permanent location for them, they were basically left alone to do what they wanted. Rick had left early that morning to assist with the crops since he had previous experience and Daryl, preferring to be alone and in the woods, had left before sunrise to go hunting. The others, so far, had not been as productive, but that would change once the decision to stay was made and they figured out their place and became more accustomed to being there. 

About a block away from the former municipal building, Daryl rounded the corner of a building and came face to face with a group that appeared to be returning from a scavenging trip, judging by the packs and wagons they were pulling laden with items. And, to Daryl's misfortune, the person leading the group was someone he had been hoping to avoid if at all possible. At forty years old, Tyler Collins was still built like the defensive end he had been back when he played college football. A hair over six foot five and pushing two hundred and seventy five pounds, Sam's younger brother didn't appear to be softening in his older age in the slightest and was still sporting an impressive amount of muscle. And, judging from the expression on the man's face when he recognized Daryl, clearly was still holding on to his hatred for his sister's estranged husband.

"Dixon." Tyler sneered down at Daryl as he blocked the sidewalk with his massive girth, stepping to the left and then the right, mimicking Daryl’s movements as he tried to avoid the human roadblock. "Bo said you'd slithered back in to town."

"Tyler." Daryl nodded in response, not wanting to give the man any reason to start an altercation in the middle of town with a group of men who rivaled the youngest son of the Collins clan in size. The last thing he wanted to do was get in to a fight with Sam's brother, or any of her brother's, knowing that it would get him nowhere in the end. Daryl just hoped it wouldn't come to that...although his and Tyler's ability to let sleeping dogs lie had never been their strong point.

"Why the fuck you back in town? Come to sniff around my sister some more?" Tyler growled, his hands clenched at his side. From the very first time he had laid eyes on Daryl Dixon, had seen him with his baby sister, Tyler Collins had hated the man with a powerful vengeance. Tyler thought very little of the youngest of the Dixon brothers, and could at least admit to himself that Daryl wasn't as big of a shit as his brother, Merle, but that didn't mean he liked Daryl in the slightest. Taking a step forward menacingly, Tyler towered over Daryl and glowered down at him. 

Cassie stepped out of the infirmary building just in time to see Tyler take a step towards Daryl with his fists clenched at his side. Cursing, she sat the package in her hands down on the window ledge and sprinted the two blocks to intervene. Grabbing hold of Tyler's arm, she tugged on it as though she could actually move him with her own strength. Taller than most girls at five foot ten, Cassie was still easily a hundred pounds lighter than Tyler and therefore, not very effective at stopping the man when he had a head of steam built up. Squeezing in between him and Daryl, she placed her hands on his chest and said, "Tyler, calm down. You know Sam's going to have a fit if she finds out you two are out here fighting...again."

"I should stomp his little ass in to the ground while Sam's not here to stop it. Give the prick what he deserves." Tyler growled, but with slightly less intensity as he looked down at Cassie. With a sigh of defeat, knowing she was right that Sam would be upset if he did anything, Tyler backed up, but pointed at Daryl and said, "One move. You fuck up once and I'm kicking your ass."

Without saying anything in response, knowing that was exactly what Tyler wanted so he would have an excuse to allegedly defend his sister's honor, Daryl stepped off the sidewalk and continued on to his original destination. Glancing back over his shoulder once, he saw Cassie still trying to calm Tyler down, but noticed that her hands seemed a little friendlier than they should have been and realized that there was something going on between them. Daryl knew that Cassie had a good sized crush on Sam's brother back in the day and had flirted with Tyler relentlessly any time they were around one another, but the attraction had not seemed mutual at the time; more like a brother trying to be nice to his sister's friend. But, from the looks of their interaction now, it looks like Cassie had finally landed her man. Although, personally, Daryl thought Cassie could do a lot better than Sam's meat headed brother. With her thick makeup, tight clothes and sarcastic personality, the younger Cassie Delaney had been quite the handful in her younger days. But, she was fiercely protective of Samantha and would do anything in the world to make her friend happy, which in Daryl's book made her one of the best people he had known in Collins. While her wild ways seemed to be in the past, Daryl knew that when it came to Sam, Cassie would still do anything in the world for her and for that, Daryl wished she was with someone better than Tyler Collins. She definitely deserved better, although he doubted that Cassie would ever believe so.

Once he had dropped off his daily kill with one of the older gentlemen that cleaned the game behind the building, Daryl headed back towards the building that his group had been staying in. He had promised Jacey he would come by after she got out of school and didn't want to show up looking like he did; covered in dirt, blood and speckles of guts, and desperately in need of a shower and a change of clothes. As he was nearing the old furniture store, Daryl was surprised to see Sam heading towards him and felt his breath hitch in anticipation. Dressed casually in a lightweight red sweater and jeans, he had to appreciate the fact that she could still wear a pair of jeans better than most women. Back when they were still together, he had appreciated her figure in and out of a well fitted pair of jeans quite often. 

"Hey, um...is Maggie around?" Sam asked when she got closer to Daryl, who was just standing in the entrance to the sleeping quarters with the door open. She had hoped to deliver the present quickly, getting in and out, while Daryl was off hunting, but she had gotten caught up at the school by one of the kids she was teaching how to play the guitar and had questions.

"Dunno, just got here." Daryl moved out of the doorway so that Sam could go inside and see if Maggie was there. Curious as to why she wanted to see Maggie, and simply because he wanted to be near her, Daryl followed behind Sam.

Spotting Maggie sitting on a couch on the other side of the room, Samantha left Daryl without another word and crossed over to sit down beside her. "Hey, can we talk for a second?"

"Yeah, sure." Maggie laid down the book she'd grabbed off one of the shelving units at the rear of the store and removed her feet from the couch to give Sam more room.

"After our talk yesterday I went up to my old house and found this for you. I...I thought you'd like to have it." Sam held out the picture she had located yesterday afternoon, now secure in a frame that she had found in a box at the apartment.

"Oh my..." Maggie whispered as she realized what Samantha was handing her. With tears sparkling in her eyes, she looked down at the picture of her family and Samantha at the concert so many years ago. Gently, as though simply touching the glass might make the picture disappear, she traced a finger over the image of her father and Beth and smiled although tears were slipping down her cheeks. "Thank you so much. This...it's perfect." 

"You're welcome. When you said Beth had passed away and since your father wasn't with you, well...I wanted you to have it." Samantha knew she had done the right thing by giving Maggie the picture when she saw the happiness on the woman's face through the sheen of tears. "Um, anyway I have to run back to the school and get Jacey, so...I'll see ya'll later at dinner."

Daryl watched Sam leave without acknowledging the fact that he was still in the room and decided not to follow her; deciding to give her some space after the incident the night before at her house. Instead, he crossed over to look at the picture that Maggie was holding with shaky hands. Leaning over the edge of the couch, he looked down and saw a younger Greene family staring back at him...with Samantha. Shocked, Daryl sat down beside Maggie and examined the picture from next to her. There she was, his Beth, with his wife. What were the chances of that happening? But, there she was, Beth Greene, all gangly arms and legs and painfully in the grips of an awkward moment in her youth, grinning up at him from the picture. Standing between Maggie and Samantha, Beth beamed up at him with those big blue eyes of hers and a wild mane of blonde hair. "How the..." He murmured, not even aware that he'd spoken any words.

"Daddy took us to see Sam in concert back in '05 at the Tabernacle in Atlanta. Beth won tickets and backstage passes and it was just the best day, it really was. Sam was so nice to us, especially Beth...even sang with her backstage and then played a song specifically for her. I thought Beth was going to pass out from happiness." Maggie handed the picture over to Daryl and wiped her eyes on her shirt sleeve. "Beth just loved Sam’s band...listened to their CD's all the time, played their songs on the piano and sang all the time." Turning back to look at Daryl, seeing the expression on his face as he looked at the picture, she said softly, "You know, when you'd tell her to hush all the time it hurt her feelings. She thought you just didn't like hearing her sing...she didn't realize...we didn't know."

Staring down at the picture, Daryl didn't acknowledge what Maggie was saying to him. He knew that Beth's feelings had been hurt when he'd snap at her and tell her to stop singing, but he had just meant to sing something else. Anything else, but Samantha's songs....anything but the songs that were so obviously meant for him. Daryl took in the details of Sam's appearance, the red dress and those black cowboy boots she loved so much, the bright smile beaming up at him with her arm around the girl he had just buried a few weeks ago. Two women in one picture that he had failed in every way possible. Two women that he cared about more than anyone in his life that he had let down. What were the odds of that?

"Tabernacle in '05?" Daryl asked gruffly as he glanced away from the picture and looked at Maggie, who shook her head. Turning his attention back to the picture, Daryl realized that he, too, had been at that very same performance. Of course, Samantha hadn't known that and he hadn't known the Greene family back then, but the universe worked in weird ways sometimes. 

Handing the frame back to Maggie, Daryl stood up and left the store without saying a word...not that anyone that knew him would find his silent exit anything but normal for Daryl.


	18. Chapter 18

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

Monday, June 14th, 1999

 

Samantha had never finished up her volunteer work at the library as fast as she did that Monday afternoon. At five o'clock on the dot, she was out the door and in her car heading towards the pond at a speed nowhere near the limit posted on the signs. Had her brother pulled her over at that moment for speeding, she might have jumped out of the car and strangled him. Although she knew that Daryl wouldn't be there until after her since he had to finish up whatever he was doing and that didn't always mean a five on the dot closing time, she was still excited to see him and let that excitement show on her face and in how fast she made it to their meeting spot. Parking across the street on the patch of gravel like she always did when she came out there to write, Sam grabbed her guitar case, notebook and blanket out of the backseat and hotfooted it across the street. Within a few minutes, she had the blanket laid out in the same place where they had lain Saturday night. 

Figuring she had a little time before Daryl arrived, Sam decided to work on the new song she had started after church. Opening her notebook, Sam turned to the page where she had been working on it the night before and eyeballed what she had managed so far. Making a few notations in the corner of the page, she laid the pencil down and grabbed her guitar. Murmuring the words she had written the night before, she strummed the strings on the guitar and tried to put those words to music. Alternating between chords and strums, she drew the notes on the page with the words and lost herself in the creation of a new song.

Daryl could tell that Sam didn't know he had arrived because she hadn't looked up once while he approached. Unnoticed, he hung back and took that moment to simply watch her while she worked. Her waves of blonde hair were pulled back in a low ponytail and tiny studs sparkled at him from her ears as they caught the sunlight, while her long golden tan legs were crossed with the guitar resting on top of her thighs. Her shoes, a pair of plain white flats, were kicked off beside her and he could see that her toes were painted a bright color of pink. Daryl thought she had the cutest toes and then thought he was acting like an idiot, standing there admiring her toes instead of sitting down beside her. 

"Oh! You startled me!" Sam exclaimed with wide eyes and a breathless tone to her voice as Daryl dropped down on the blanket beside her. Lost in her work, she'd had no idea he had even shown up, much less managed to get that close to her without her realizing his presence. Putting her guitar to the side, she turned to face him with a glowing smile that reflected how happy she was to see him. "Hi."

"Hi." Daryl leaned forward and kissed her as though it had been weeks instead of days since their lips had touched. Pulling back, he smiled back at her and said, "Don't have to stop on my account. What’re working on?" Reaching over, he went to pull her notebook closer so he could look at her work, but never got a chance because she ripped it out of his hands.

"Don't look!" Sam cried as she snatched the notebook out of Daryl's hands. Seeing the expression on his face, a combination of surprise and disappointment, she explained, "I don't let anyone see this...no one...I'm sorry. It's just...it'd be like you cutting open my and looking inside my brain."

"Sorry." While he understood what Sam was saying, that didn't mean Daryl's feelings weren't at least a little hurt from having her rip the notebook out of his hands. Shrugging, he nodded towards the guitar and said, "Then sing something for me. Let me hear what you're working on."

"It's not done, yet," Sam tried to explain, wanting to save the song until it was complete before she shared it with anyone...especially Daryl. But, she found herself grabbing her guitar anyway, wanting to please him. "Don't judge too harsh."

"I'd never judge you." Daryl replied honestly. He didn't think Sam could do anything that wasn't perfect or damn near close to it. "Let me hear."

"I think it'd be better with the piano, but...don't exactly have one out here." Sam said as she opened her notebook, laying it beside her out of Daryl's line of sight. "I've only got the chorus right now...it's not much."

"Then just play that." Daryl poked her in the side as though to prod her along and shook his head, "Go on."

"Ok, here goes," Sam took a breath and started to strum the guitar with the notes she thought fit perfectly with the words she'd written the night before. _"Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight...Just a touch of the fire burning so bright...No, I don't want to mess this thing up...I don't want to push too far..."_

Daryl watched Sam as she strummed the guitar and sang the words so beautifully that he felt his heart quicken in response when he realized that she was singing about him...about them...the other night. He'd never had anyone do anything so personal that was for him and couldn't fight the grin that spread across his face as he watched Sam finish up singing what she had written so far.

 _"Just a shot in the dark you just might...be the one I've been waiting for my whole life...So baby, I'm alright with just a kiss goodnight."_ Sam forced herself to open her eyes and watch Daryl's reaction as she finished up the part of the song she had managed to write out while waiting for him. _"No, I don't want to say goodnight...I know it's time to leave, but you'll be in my dreams...Tonight...Tonight...Tonight."_

Shyly, she sat the guitar to the side and closed the notebook by her leg before turning back to Daryl to see his reaction. She had never written a song so personal about anyone before and had definitely not sang it directly to them. Of course, there was that one song she wrote to her sixth grade crush, who ended up being her first kiss, but Wesley never heard the song! Nervous, she bit her lip and looked over to Daryl with butterflies fluttering in her stomach. "Well? It's not much, nowhere close to being done, but..." She asked nervously, feeling as though he could actually see the heart on her sleeve.

"It's beautiful." Daryl murmured as he leaned forward and kissed Samantha once more and tried to convey just how he felt about her in that one embrace. Pulling away, he said, "Can't believe you can do that. Barely can carry a tune myself, much less write a song like that."

"Thank you," Sam took his hand in hers and studied it. "It's not that hard. I can show you if you want."

"You gonna teach me to play the guitar? I ain't the best at learning new tricks." Daryl scoffed and shook his head as Sam let go of his hand to grab her guitar. He took it when she held it out to him and then waited patiently while she positioned it correctly in his hands and then crawled around to sit behind him. "What're you doing back there?"

"Here," She said after she'd positioned herself behind him, with her legs on either side of his. Sam placed her left hand over his and arranged his fingers then pushed down on the tops of them, "That's the A chord. Now, with the pick strum the strings, like this." With her right hand clasping his, Sam strummed the guitar gently. 

Daryl nodded and tried to pay attention to what Sam was saying, what she was telling him to do as she worked through the basic chords, but his mind was elsewhere. The feel of her arms around him, her thighs pressing against his and her sweet voice in his ear was enough to distract even the most focused man, and Daryl definitely wasn't focused. But, he tried his best and did what she said to the best of his abilities. 

For the next hour, Samantha worked with Daryl, teaching him the basic chords and how to feel out the right sound. Finally though, she had to admit that it was getting late and she was going to have to leave soon, and she definitely wanted to spend time in his arms without a guitar before doing so. Taking the guitar from him, she stuck it back in the case with her notebook and crawled back over to him. "See? It's not that hard. You could be playing in no time with some practice."

"Ain't likely," Daryl replied as he pulled Sam in to his arms so that she was sitting in his lap facing him. "How long you been playing?"

"Um, I dunno...I’ve only been playing the guitar for maybe eight or nine years? Got bored with the piano, so I taught myself how to play on a used one I found in the pawn store next to my dad's store." Sam wrapped her arms around Daryl's neck and wrapped her legs around his waist, it was all in all a very intimate way to be sitting and she couldn't help but feel those tingles she got from his touch start up again.

"Your dad's store? Thought he was the mayor?" Daryl tried to recall if he had heard her story correctly the other night. With as many people as she had in her family it was easy to get them confused.

"He is, but our family owns the hunting and sporting goods store downtown. The mayor thing is only a part time job in such a small town and he likes to keep busy." Sam leaned forward and kissed Daryl lightly on the lips and then trailed the feather light kisses across his cheek towards his ear, where she nibbled on his earlobe before whispering, "I have to go soon, think we could talk about my dad some other time?"

Doing as the lady requested, Daryl promptly shut up and kissed Sam hungrily. With his hands, he eased her legs from around his waist and slowly laid back on the blanket so that Sam was laying on top of him. Somehow managing to keep his wits about him, Daryl kept his hands on the outside of her clothing this time and slid them down to rest on her rear; lightly cupping the swell of her ass as she knelt on either side of him. 

Samantha lost herself in Daryl's kiss, as she so often did because it was so easy to do. Her mind swam with desire, her skin tingled from his touch and a fire started to burn deep in her belly. Their tongues mingled and their teeth scraped against one another as their embrace deepened. In the back of her head, Sam knew that they were once again heading down a tricky road, but she was a slave to her hormones for the first time in her life. Straddling Daryl, his hands on her ass, Sam felt him harden against her center and couldn't resist the urge to move against him. Sam moaned deep in her throat at the feel of his hardened length pressed against her heated center that burned with desire for him and ached to feel his bare flesh against hers, the feel of him pressed against her and an overwhelming urge to have him inside of her. 

Daryl fought his baser instincts that were screaming at him to take Samantha right then and there on the blanket in the middle of nowhere with the late afternoon sun beating down on their bare skin. He knew the moment that her hands slipped beneath his shirt and her hands grasped at his sides, her fingernails pressing in to his skin, that he either had to take control of the situation and do the right thing by stopping or just do what his dick was all but demanding he do and strip Sam completely naked and screw the hell out of her. Somehow, the little red devil in his head didn't win out and it both surprised Daryl and disappointed him when he grabbed Sam by the shoulders and pushed her away from him softly. 

"Need to slow down." Daryl managed to get out, his voice rougher than normal; gruff and hoarse with emotion. "Ain't like I want to, but know you ain't ready, Sam. You ain't changed your mind that quick."

"Yeah," Sam whispered breathlessly as she stared down at Daryl with something akin to regret in her gaze. Her mind was cloudy with desire for him and it was a feeling that she didn't think she would ever grow accustomed to. There had never been anyone else that could kiss her to the point where she was suddenly overcome with desire and all rational thought flew out the window. "I'm sorry. It's just...with you...wow."

"I get that." Daryl replied, knowing exactly how Sam felt because that's how he felt with her and couldn't help but be frightened by that notion. He had never been involved with any woman that made him feel the way Samantha did. Hell, he'd never even had a girlfriend, if he was honest. Sure, there'd been the occasional woman he'd had sex with more than once, but nothing that involved a commitment. And yet, with Sam, he was already halfway head over heels with her and that truly scared the shit out of him...but not enough to end things with her.

Song Just a Kiss by Lady Antebellum


	19. Chapter 19

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_Tuesday, June 14th, 1999 Starts after midnight_

Later that evening, Samantha had no desire to go to sleep and found herself in what was once her oldest brother's bedroom downstairs, but had been turned in to a music room for her long after he had moved out of the house. With it being the only room on the main floor that was off the backside of the house and not directly underneath any of the bedrooms upstairs, it made the perfect place for her to hole up in and practice her music without disturbing anyone upstairs. And, since her father had the whole room redesigned specifically for her to practice, a good amount of insulation had been added to the walls for soundproofing before painting them a soothing color of blue that matched the lightest part of the midday sky. The dark wooden floors contrasted against the paleness of the walls and was scattered with plush rugs in a rainbow of different colors. Over by the floor to ceiling window on the farthest wall was the baby grand piano Sam had gotten on her thirteenth birthday and above it was a frivolous chandelier adorned with teardrop shaped crystals. On the right side of the room was a dark blue couch with a handful of multicolored pillows thrown on it for the nights when she was just too exhausted to go upstairs to her bedroom. On the left side of the room was a desk she had picked up at a garage sale in high school and repainted with swirls of hues in every color of the rainbow and a bright red overstuffed captain’s chair and also held an assortment of notebooks of all colors and sizes that she had filled with her thoughts and notations while writing songs. It was, in fact, the perfect place to write music, but there were just those days when she needed to escape reality completely and be alone with nature. On those days, Sam retreated to the pond she had located her sophomore year in high school when collecting items for her biology leaf collection. Once she could drive, Sam had spent many hours there perfecting her songs and practicing on the guitar.

Spending the afternoon with Daryl had left her feeling charged, overly stimulated and unable to concentrate as her thoughts ran rampant through her mind and her body couldn't forget the feeling of his hands on her skin. Now, at half past midnight, she crept from her bedroom and made her way downstairs to see if she could put that excess energy to use. Closing the door behind her, Sam crossed the room in the dark and clicked on the flower shaped lamp on the top of the piano, then grabbed the notebook out of the guitar case she left on the couch earlier that evening. Settling down on the bench, Sam flipped open the key cover and perched her notebook up so that she could see what notations she had made while waiting for Daryl. Placing her fingers on the keys that corresponded with the notes she had sketched earlier, Sam tentatively played out the first part of the song she had sang to Daryl earlier.

 _"Lying here with you so close to me...it's hard to fight these feelings...when it feels so hard to breath...caught up in this moment...caught up in your smile"_ Sam murmured along while her fingers played out the tune in her head. After that verse she pulled the pencil out from where she had it jammed at the base of her ponytail and leaned over to scribble some minor changes to what she had written earlier. Trying again, she murmured the lyrics along while she meticulously put her thoughts to the music in her head. As always, it took hours before even the first verse sounded like what she was hoping for, before it felt right with what she was feeling when she was in Daryl's arms. 

Without even noticing the passing of time, Samantha sang and played and rewrote until the morning sun was just starting to peek over the horizon just outside the window. Always the perfectionist, Sam started over from the beginning and played the song once more, this time singing along at full pitch and with a tape recorder listening along on the table beside the couch. 

Always an early riser since cooking for a houseful of men required a great deal of food and preparation and she hadn’t broken the routine once all of her sons moved out, Donna Collins pulled on her bathrobe and quietly slipped out of the bedroom while her husband continued to sleep. Heading downstairs, she grabbed the morning paper off the front stoop and went in to the kitchen to start breakfast. As she rounded the corner in to the room she spent most of her time in, Donna heard the sound of Samantha playing the piano flowing softly from the bedroom off the backside of the room. While Donna loved to hear Samantha play the guitar, she would always prefer the sounds of her daughter playing the piano. So, even though she knew Samantha hated to be interrupted during the creative process, Donna tiptoed down the adjacent hallway and cracked open the door ever so slightly so she could listen. 

_"I've never opened up to anyone...so hard to hold you back when I’m holding you in my arms...but we don't need to rush this...let's just take it slow."_ Samantha poured all of her feelings in to each word as she sang with her eyes closed, with an image of Daryl pictured in her mind, etched in to her memory. _"Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight....just a touch of the fire burning so bright."_

The sound of the alarm on the coffee maker chirping, signaling that it was about to start brewing the dark liquid her father required to make it through the first half of the day, caught Sam's attention. With her fingers paused just above the keys, she turned her head and found her mother standing in the doorway with a sheepish expression on her face. "Mom? What are you doing in here?" She asked, sounding harsher than she intended. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, sweetie. I know you don't like us peeking in here when you're working, but you sounded so beautiful I just had to." Donna smiled and hoped Sam wouldn't be too annoyed with her. Crossing the room, she stood beside her daughter and put a hand on her shoulder. "I miss hearing you practice when you're away at school,"

"Sorry for being cranky, I didn't realize what time it was." Bleary eyed, Sam rubbed the heel of her hands against her sleepy eyes and yawned. "Lost track of time apparently."

"Is that a new song?" Donna inquired as she curiously peeked at the current notebook Sam was writing her songs in. "Just a Kiss? That sounds romantic. Do you perhaps have someone special you’re writing it for?"

"No." Sam said a bit too defensively as she quickly shut the notebook to hide the lyrics from her mother's prying eyes. "Just because I write something doesn't mean it's about someone."

"Mmhmm...Ok, sweetie." Donna replied with a knowing smile. She knew her daughter well enough to know that every piece of music she created, ever word she put in to lyrical form, meant something to Samantha. Her daughter was just about perfect in every aspect of life, she was intelligent, beautiful, sweet, caring, creative, but the one thing she could not do effectively was communicate her feelings without putting them in song form. But, Donna also knew that Samantha wasn't going to share her crushes or romances with her mother. She was, after all, still very much a teenager, no matter how much older she acted than people her own age. Letting the subject drop, Donna pushed back a tendril of hair that had escaped Sam's messy ponytail and looked down at her daughter. "How about I make you some pancakes and then you try and get some sleep?"

"That sounds perfect. Thank you." Samantha slid out from beneath the piano bench and hugged her mom. She hadn't meant to be irritable with her, but the lack of sleep, being interrupted and the pent up energy left over from being with Daryl had left her feeling more than a little out of sorts. "I've missed your pancakes. The ones at the dining hall are subpar compared to yours. Come on, I'll help."

"You'll help?" Donna asked with a comically incredulous look on her face. "And, pray tell, how do you plan on doing that when you can barely microwave leftovers?"

"Duh, I'll eat them." Sam replied with a smile and a roll of her eyes, before following her mother in to the kitchen. 

Across town, while Samantha was scarfing down a homemade breakfast from her loving mother, Daryl was standing in his pathetic excuse for a kitchen trying to find something to eat before work. After realizing his brother, who had come home sometime during the night, had eaten the remaining three slices of pizza Daryl had saved specifically for breakfast, he was stuck with either the end slices of bread that suspiciously looked on the verge of molding or a can of Vienna sausages. Sighing, he settled on the can of tiny sausages and the last few ounces of orange juice. Without bothering with dishes, he stood at the counter and inhaled the six measly bits of processed meat and chugged the juice straight out of the container; grimacing when it left a bad taste in his mouth because he had messed up and brushed his teeth prior to breakfast. Toothpaste and juice were never a good combination. 

Tossing the containers in to the trash, Daryl cleaned up the empty beer bottles and crushed pizza box that Merle had left out the night before and added them to the bag. Daryl retreated in to the bathroom to brush his teeth again before work and was just coming out when Merle's bedroom door opened. Expecting it to be his brother, Daryl was only mildly shocked when a woman stumbled out half-dressed and squeezed past him to go in to the bathroom. Shaking his head, once again stumped how his brother always managed to bring home women despite the fact he was a total shit to them, Daryl was just sitting down on the couch when Merle came out of the bedroom. Wearing what appeared to be the clothes from the night before, judging from the wrinkles and stench of smoke and beer when Merle plopped down on the couch beside Daryl, his older brother kicked his bare feet up on to the makeshift coffee table and stuck a cigarette in his mouth.

"Damn, baby brother, you missed a helluva party last night." Merle clapped his hand on Daryl's back and followed it up with a phlegmy cough that indicated just how much he had smoked the night before. "Booze, drugs, shit ton of pussy...where the hell where you?"

"Had plans. Gotta work." Daryl shrugged, not offering up any more information to his brother about his whereabouts. He could only imagine the grief Merle would give him if his brother knew his afternoon plans had included learning to play the guitar and making out with his girlfriend. Girlfriend? The word sounded funny in his head and Daryl wondered at what point he had decided to make that commitment to Samantha, but wasn’t appalled by the notion.

"Well, you got plans tonight? Got another run, gonna be a wild one after." Merle exhaled around his words and scratched his chest with his free hand. "Looking at another five easy."

Since Samantha had band practice that night, the only thing Daryl had to do was worry about work the next day, but he'd managed without sleep before. Nodding, he grabbed his keys off the table by the door and said, "Aight, be back here before six."

"Right on, little brother." Merle hollered at Daryl's retreating figure as he headed to work. Inhaling deeply, he stared at the closed bathroom door and wondered how long the bitch he'd brought home planned to stay cooped up in there...and what the hell her name was anyway...not that Merle intended to get to know her any better than her first name and maybe another roll in the sack before he booted her out the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos.


	20. Chapter 20

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

The present, Monday, March 5th, 2012

 

Rick closed the door to the infirmary and stepped out on to the sidewalk to stand in the fading afternoon light; the afternoon sun retreating as the early winter night crept upon them. He had just checked on the members of their group and had not been given the best of news regarding Father Gabriel. Spying Carol near the building where dinner was soon to be served, Rick headed in her direction to tell her the news.

“How’s the troops healing?” Carol asked when Rick was by her side. Both of them leaned against the railing of the stairs that led in to the massive entrance of the red brick municipal building to wait for the rest of their group for dinner.

“Noah and Eugene are doing well. Both should be able to return to normal activities by the end of the week.” Rick paused and looked at the ground briefly before turning his concerned gaze towards Carol once more. “Father Gabriel, on the other hand, isn’t doing as well. The nail left a nasty infection. Had we gotten him help sooner, maybe at the hospital, maybe things would be different. But now, after this long? It doesn’t look good.”

“Oh,” Carol didn’t really know how to respond. It wasn’t like the Father had been a part of their group for long and certainly wasn’t someone she considered to be part of the ones her family, but he was one of the few living beings left and a member of the cloth. “Ok, so with the others healing, what’s the plan when they’re released?”

“I’m not sure. Personally, I think we should stay. We could make a home here, be somewhat safe for the first time in a long while.” Rick looked off in to the distance to where Daryl was walking away from them; having just left the sleeping quarters and appeared to be on a mission of some type judging by the purpose in his step. “Need to see if Daryl has decided what to do, or if he’s even welcome to make this a permanent stop. Then, we’ll go from there.”

“Doubt he’s going to want to leave that little girl behind.” Carol pushed off the railing to stand in front of Rick. “But, Sam’s not going to let Jacey go with us if Daryl doesn’t want to stay. We could be in for some trouble regarding that.”

“You’re right. We’ll deal with whatever comes up.” Rick dropped the conversation as other members of the community started heading up the sidewalk for dinner. Once the rest of their group arrived, minus the ones in the infirmary and Daryl, Rick followed them inside the building for dinner and considered the options that lay ahead for his family and himself.

Inside the dinner hall, Samantha was just sitting down to eat with Jacey when her father came over; towering above her with his massive frame. A few years shy of eighty, his white hair only showed the slightest hint of the espresso color it once was and his skin was heavily creased and wrinkled, but his height and girth had yet to diminish. “Hi, Daddy, you going to join us for dinner?” 

“Not tonight. The council has some issues we need to discuss, so we’re going to eat in my office.” Jim Collins informed his daughter, although his eyes were on the members of the new group that had just walked in to the room and joined the dinner line. Not seeing Daryl in the line with them, which wasn’t surprising since his son in law hadn’t eaten a meal in the room yet, Jim turned his attention back to his daughter. “You and I need to talk, too. Come find me after dinner, ok?”

“Yes, sir.” Sam replied as her father leaned over to press a kiss to the top of her head. It was a gesture that reminded her of childhood and although she was no longer a child, Samantha would never grow old of her father’s attention. Turning to Jacey, she said, “Big Jim wants me to stay after dinner, so you’ll need to go with Grandma Donna after you eat, ok?”

“Could I maybe stay with Daryl instead?” Jacey asked hopefully. While she loved spending time with her Grandma Donna, she desperately wanted to get to know her brother better. “Pretty please?”

“Honey, he’s not even in here and probably won’t even show up.” Sam pointed out before taking a bite of roasted squash. Of course, just as she pointed out Daryl’s lack of presence, he had to prove her wrong and walk through the door. Realizing that Jacey had noticed Daryl’s sudden presence, Sam sighed and said, “Go on over and ask him.” 

After going to Samantha’s apartment and finding that she and Jacey had clearly already left for dinner, Daryl had found himself torn between wanting to avoid everyone else in the town and wanting to spend time with his sister and estranged wife. There had been a great debate in his mind as he stood outside the dining hall and thoroughly paced the marbled floor way until the decision had been made for him simply by seeing Jim Collins exit in to the foyer. While his father in law hadn’t noticed him lurking in the corner of the room, Daryl hadn’t risked that he would be noticed and stealthily slipped in to the dining hall without being garnering any attention. 

Now, standing awkwardly in line behind Tara, Daryl’s eyes scanned the room while he waited patiently to fill his plate with food. Of course, it didn’t take long before his eyes found what they were searching for and landed directly on Samantha. Their gazes connected for a moment before she broke away and said something to Jacey that caused the kid to jump out of her seat and barrel across the room to where he was standing. 

“Daryl!” Jacey cried out excitedly as she ran smack in to his legs and wrapped her arms around him for a hug; never noticing the uncomfortable expression on his face, as he would never quite grow accustomed to people being excited to see him or hugging him. “Can you watch me after dinner so Sam can have a talk with Big Jim? Can you, huh?” 

“Um, yeah? Sure.” Daryl stammered as his mind tried to comprehend what Jacey was excitedly asking him, her words flowing so quickly that there was barely a space between them. “Sam’s ok with that?”

“Duh. She sent me to ask you.” Jacey unleashed her hold on Daryl’s legs so he could put food on his plate. When exited at the end of the line, she instantly wrapped her small hand in his and tugged him in the direction of the table she was sharing with Sam. “Come on. You can sit with us.”

Daryl didn’t respond, but he figured that Sam was going to be less than thrilled at the prospect of sharing a meal with him, but he knew she wouldn’t say so in front of Jacey. By passing the table where his group was sitting, and staring at him curiously as he did so, Daryl took a seat next to Jacey. Nodding towards his sister, he said to Sam, “She’s hard to say no to.”

“It’s ok.” Sam replied, knowing full well that Daryl was referring to him sitting at their table and not the fact that Jacey had asked him to take care of her after dinner. “I’m almost done anyway. So, you don’t mind watching her for a bit? Dad wants to talk to me.”

“Not at all.” Daryl forced himself to eat his meal and stop staring at Sam.

“Why does Big Jim want to talk to you in his office? Are you in trouble?” Jacey asked, her big blue eyes filled with innocence. She stopped her questions long enough to shovel in a large bite of grilled meat, and then continued with a mouth full of food, “Because he always takes people into his office when they’re in trouble.”

“No, I’m not in trouble, but you’re going to be if you keep talking with your mouth full.” Sam replied with a shake of her head and a smile to let Jacey know she wasn’t in too much trouble. Once Jacey made a big show of swallowing, Sam held out her glass and asked, “Jace, you mind going to get me some water?”

Once Jacey was sufficiently out of earshot, Sam turned her attention back to Daryl and asked point blank, “Have your people decided if they’re staying here or not? I gather that’s what this meeting is in regards to, how I feel about it…about you being here.”

“How do you feel about it, Sam?” Daryl murmured softly as he looked up at her from a thicket of dark bangs. “You want me here?”

“Jacey likes having you here and it’s good for her to have family,” Sam replied, skirting around the topic of how she felt about Daryl being back in her life. 

“I ain’t asking about Jacey. I’m asking about you.” Daryl asked low enough that the other people in the room wouldn’t hear their conversation, but loud enough that Sam couldn’t ignore him without being blatantly rude, which wasn’t in her nature. 

“For me? Really? You’re asking me how I feel about you being here.” Samantha asked incredulously. Putting her fork down, she pinned Daryl with a steely gaze and said, “Having you here, back in my life, is…well, it’s just the worst thing I can think of, Daryl. Getting over you, over us, over Em…” Sam’s words trailed off and she sighed heavily before continuing, “That was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, including the end of the world, so how do you think I feel about it?” Shoving back her chair, Sam stood up and picked up her half full plate. Stamping down her rising anger towards Daryl’s asinine question, she took a deep breath and continued, “But, for Jacey, I’ll deal with it. So, if you decide to stay, for her sake, I’ll do what I have to for it to work.”

Daryl watched as Sam turned her back to him and headed towards the counter where Jacey was waiting patiently for someone to pour more water in to the glass in her hand. Sitting alone now, he poked at the food on his plate as his eyes stayed locked on Sam as she talked to Jacey for a moment before handing her dishes off to the people behind the counter that were in charge of washing dishes. As Jacey made her way through the crowd back to him, Samantha flashed one last look at Daryl before all but running out of the dining hall. 

Overwhelmed and at a loss at how to handle her feelings in regards to Daryl’s questions, Sam escaped his penetrating stare by fleeing the dining hall and escaping to the relative silence of the foyer. In the marble floored hallway with its massive ceilings that echoed every sound made within its walls, Sam leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. Taking a few soothing breaths, she forced back the tears that pricked in her eyes and willed her nerves to calm down. Logically, having Daryl back in town shouldn’t change things in her life as Sam swore up and down that she was long since over him. However, if she faced the truth in her heart, Sam had never gotten over Daryl and thus, having him suddenly appear in her life just put everything in a tailspin for her. 

“Sam? You ok?” Ryan O’Calleigh asked as he entered the foyer and saw Samantha leaning against the wall with her eyes closed. Unloading the carts and showering had taken longer than expected after the latest scavenging trip he’d just returned from and he was now running significantly late for dinner, but he’d risk missing dinner if something was wrong with Sam. 

Sam opened her eyes and smiled softly towards the man that she had finally opened her heart to after all of their years of being bandmates and friends. Blinking back the tears that still prickled in her eyes, Sam wondered if Ryan was aware of what had happened since he had been gone for nearly a month this time. Leaning in to Ryan’s embrace when he opened his arms, Sam relished the comforting feel the warmth of his body offered as he enveloped her in his arms. At well over six feet tall, the top of Sam’s head was still several inches away from his shoulders and the embrace should have been awkward simply because of their height difference, but it wasn’t. Looking up in to his chocolate brown eyes, Sam smiled up at Ryan and accepted the soft kiss that he brushed across her lips. “Glad you’re back. That one took longer than it should have.”

“Yeah, we came across a herd of walkers over past Macon on the way back. Had to bunker down for a couple of days.” Ryan looked down at Samantha and, knowing her the way he did, could tell that something was wrong. “You going to tell me what’s wrong?”

“I’d rather not, that way I can maybe pretend it didn’t happen and I’m going to wake up soon from this dream instead.” Sam sighed. She really didn’t want to have to tell Ryan that Daryl was back in town, not after all the heartache that Ryan had to witness her going through after Daryl had left the first time. Although they weren’t involved at the time, Ryan was more than aware of the pain that Sam had gone through those years. Stepping out of Ryan’s hold, Sam rubbed her hands over her face before finally saying, “Daryl’s back. He came in with a group over the weekend.”

“Daryl? As in your husband…ex-husband that is.” Ryan couldn’t believe what he was hearing. After all these years, all of the years that he had stood beside Samantha as a friend and waited patiently through her heart break until she could finally in a place where she could move on, and Daryl Dixon wanders back in town while he was away on a scavenging run. “Shit.”

“Shit? Yep, that about sums it up.” Sam replied with a smile. “Look, I hate to spring that on you and run, but daddy wants to see me in his office. Daryl’s in there eating with Jacey, I didn’t know you were back so I said he could keep an eye on her. I’m not sure how long I’ll be…you know how daddy gets when he’s got something on his mind.”

“It’s fine. I’m pretty beat anyway, so I’ll just see you tomorrow, if that’s ok?” Ryan was oddly nowhere near tired after finding out the news, but he could tell by Sam’s demeanor that their interaction for tonight was done and he was being given the all clear to go home. Ryan knew her well enough to know when he was being dismissed. Opening his arms, Ryan welcomed Sam and dipped his head to capture her lips for a goodnight kiss. All too soon for his liking, Ryan reluctantly let go of her and said goodbye as she disappeared down the hallway towards her father’s office. Once she was out of sight, he looked towards the dining hall doors and decided against dinner. Instead, he turned and went back to his house alone for the evening.

Sam lightly knocked on her father’s office door and silently prayed that he had changed his mind and gone home instead, but of course, he hadn’t. Hearing his booming voice on the other side telling her to come in, Sam opened the door and entered the office that had been her father’s during his time as the official mayor and after. Sitting behind the massive oak desk in a room delicately lit with one solitary lantern, her father motioned for her to take a seat and Sam did as told. “Hey Daddy, you rang?”

“Your mom told me to leave you alone, but we both know I can’t do that, baby girl.” Jim stood up from his chair and opened the window behind him so that the smoke from his cigar wouldn’t cloud the room too much. Lighting the end, he took a few puffs and perched on the edge of his desk. “Well, sweetie, I need to know what your feelings are about Daryl being here. I’ve spoken with the head of their group, that Rick man, and he expressed that pending on the situation regarding you and Daryl they might like to make this their home. How would you feel about that? Because, if you’re against it, then I’ll just go boot their asses out right now…starting with Dixon.”

“I figured that’s what this was about.” Sam sighed and slunk down in her chair like an insolent child might do. “I don’t know what to do, Daddy. I mean, our whole thing is to offer people a safe place to stay, so how can I turn them all away? They’ve got kids. I would hope someone would take me and Jacey in if it was the other way around. But, ugh…why does Daryl have to be with them?” Avoiding her father’s gaze, Sam bit down on her bottom lip and failed miserably at keeping the tears in her eyes at bay. Instead, they spilled over her lashes and trailed down her cheeks. “What do I do, Daddy?”

“Baby girl, I wish I could make that decision for you.” Jim reclaimed his seat and stared at his only daughter; taking in the pain and heartache in her tearful eyes. “You still love him, don’t you? After all this time…all he put you through?”

Sam shrugged her shoulders and, with a trembling chin, said, “I don’t think you ever get over you first love, Daddy. Maybe you just learn to live with the heartache eventually? I thought I did…but now? Seeing Daryl again…I’m right back there, you know? Everything I felt for him is just there again, but this time it’s not just how much I love him…it’s how much I hate him, too. It’s just too much, Daddy. I don’t know what to do.”

As his daughter broke down in sobs with her hands covering her face as though that might help her hide from her feelings, Jim stubbed out the cigar in his hand, stood up and rounded the desk to take Sam in to his arms. Holding her tightly, Jim held on to his baby girl while she sobbed against his shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos.


	21. Chapter 21

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

Thursday, June 17th, 1999

Samantha hadn’t been able to see Daryl since Monday afternoon, between band practice Tuesday night and choir practice after church on Wednesday night, and she missed him terribly. She had already decided that she was going to come up with an excuse to stop by the garage Thursday and so, shortly before five o’clock that afternoon, Sam slipped out of the house after telling her mother that she was going over to Cassie’s house to watch television; after clearing said cover story with her best friend first, of course. Within a few short minutes, Sam pulled in to the parking lot of the garage and frowned at the absence of Daryl’s motorcycle that he usually kept parked by the front door. 

“He ain’t here, hun.” Mr. Swain said as he stepped out of the front door and locked it. “Called in today and yesterday, said he weren’t feeling well.”

“Oh. Um, ok. Thank you, Mr. Swain.” Sam felt her heart drop as she got back in to her car, because she had never thought about asking Daryl where he lived so she couldn’t go check on him. 

“Might want to check back tomorrow if you need your car looked at, Miss Collins.” Mr. Swain called out to her as he made his way to his truck parked beside her. “He said he’d be in.”

Realizing that Mr. Swain was playing along with whatever cover story she had concocted, Sam nodded towards him and waved as she shut her car door. She felt bad that Daryl wasn’t feeling well and wished there was something she could do for him, but since she had no clue where he was there wasn’t much she could do, so she pulled out of the parking lot and headed to Cassie’s house anyway.

It was after ten o’clock when Sam got back in her car and headed home. When she got back to her house, only the porch light and one solitary light inside the house were burning, letting her know that her parent’s had gone to bed. Once inside, she turned off the light on the table in the foyer and headed up the stairs quietly to her bedroom. Sam kicked off her flip flops and went to turn on the light on her nightstand when the blinking red light on her answering machine caught her attention. She reached out and hit the red button to play the message and felt her heart skip a beat when she heard his voice playing back to her. Quickly jotting down the number he left, Sam perched on the side of her bed and debated calling Daryl back. What if he was asleep? He was sick, so maybe she shouldn’t call? 

Mustering up courage, Sam picked up her cordless phone and dialed the number. Clutching the phone with a death grip, her heart beat loudly in her chest as she waited nervously for him to pick up on the other end. What if she was disturbing him? What if his brother picked up the phone? After three unanswered rings, Sam almost hung up, but was stopped when she heard him on the other end. “Hi, it’s Sam…I’m not bothering you, am I?”

“You could never bother me.” Daryl smiled in to the phone receiver and wished he could see Sam instead of just talking to her. “What’re you doing?”

“I just got back from Cassie’s. I, uh, stopped by the garage today. Swain said you’re sick? Do you need anything?” Sam knew she was on the verge of an epic nervous ramble and urged herself to stop.

“Nah, I ain’t sick. Had some stuff to do with my brother, couldn’t make it in.” Daryl felt bad that he hadn’t been there when she had come by and hated that he had missed her. He had already taken off that Wednesday after Merle offered him the job. And then, the run ended up taking longer than expected and they hadn’t returned back to the house until shortly before sunrise that morning. After drinking more than he had intended to and not sleeping much the past couple of days, Daryl had called in to work and crawled in bed. 

“Oh, well, that’s good…that you’re not sick.” Sam smiled in to the phone. “Although, I hate I didn’t get to see you this afternoon. I, um, really wanted to see you.”

“If I’d‘ve known you’d come by, I’d‘ve dragged my ass in to work today.” Daryl squashed out the cigarette he’d been smoking and leaned back against the couch. “Wish I could see you tonight.”

“Why don’t you?” Sam replied breathlessly, feeling braver than she had ever been in her entire life. “See me, I mean? Come over.”

“You want me to come over?” Daryl asked, sure that he had heard her wrong, but sure enough, Sam repeated her request in that soft, breathy voice that damn near drove him mad with desire. “What about your parents?”

“They’re asleep. So long as you’re quiet we should be fine. Ok, um…come in from the backside of the subdivision, you know where that is, right?” Sam walked Daryl through the plan, pointing out that if he parked at the rear of the subdivision and left his bike in the woods that he could cross through the that area into her backyard. “When you get back there, knock on the window by the garage on the far right side of the house. That’s my music room and I very rarely get interrupted in there. I’ll see you soon.”

Daryl said goodbye and hung up the phone. Every bone in his body was telling him not to go, that her father would undoubtedly have his head on a plate if they got caught, but reason seemed to fly out the proverbial reason whenever it came to matters regarding Sam and he soon found himself on his motorcycle heading towards her house. Cutting off his headlight, Daryl entered the subdivision, if it could be called that with only a handful of houses scattered about the area that had to be close to thirty acres, and pulled in to the area that Sam told him to park; hiding his bike in the copse of trees just behind her house. With the stealth of a predator, Daryl slipped through the trees and crossed over in to the Collins’ backyard and headed straight for the side of the house with the garage. Thankfully, there was a soft light coming from one of the windows on the back of the house and he could hear the faint sound of music coming from inside. Praying that he was correct in his assumption, Daryl knocked lightly on the window and held his breath until Sam poked her head outside. Feeling like a bandit, Daryl crawled through the open window and in to Sam’s arms.

Sam couldn’t have wiped the grin off her face if someone offered her a million dollars to do so. Grinning like a fool, she let Daryl inside through the window and fell into his arms the second both of his feet were on the floor. She was dangerously close to being head over heels in love with him despite only knowing him for two weeks, and was already more than addicted to the feel of him in her arms. Tipping her head up so that he could press his lips to hers, Sam buried her hands in his choppy, disheveled hair as their kiss once again progressed from innocent to that dangerous area where all reason and thought were lost and only the feel of one another remained. Shuffling towards the couch, they both nearly toppled to the ground when the back of Daryl’s feet ran in to the open guitar case on the floor. They both stumbled about as they tried to regain their footing, their kiss lost in the moment. Finally, once they’d both steadied themselves, Sam burst out laughing. 

“Well, I ain’t nothing if not graceful.” Daryl replied with an embarrassed blush on his face as he moved the guitar case to the other side of the room. Turning back to Sam, who was trying her best to reel in her laughter, he shook his head and said, “You sure no one’s going to hear us?”

“Shouldn’t. They sleep through me playing the piano all night. Mom gets up a little after five though.” Sam finally got her laughter under control and sat down on the couch with her feet tucked up underneath her body. Patting the couch, she said, “Come here.”

Daryl sat down beside Sam and finally took a moment to look around the room, taking in the expensive instruments, including the nicest piano he’d ever seen. “Your parents do this for you?”

“Yep, put in soundproofing and all. Figure it was for their sanity really, had to be annoying listening to me banging away on the piano all night long.” Sam scooted closer to Daryl and pulled her feet out from underneath her rear so that she could stretch out her legs across his lap. “So, did you have fun with your brother?”

“I guess.” Daryl shrugged and focused on Sam’s long tanned legs that were laying across his laps instead of the lies he was inevitably going to have to tell her if she pressed further about where he had been the past couple of days.

“Must be nice to be close with your brother.” Sam replied with a slight wistful note to her voice. “I barely get to see Bo and David between work and their own families they rarely come by, except on Sunday’s…and then it’s just a madhouse around here. Josh comes by when he can, but he works so darn much. And, Tyler, well…he’s here all the time, but it’s mostly just to annoy me and eat.”

“It’s always been me and Merle. He took care of me, well when he wasn’t in locked up in juvie anyway.” Daryl shrugged and didn’t know what else to say. It wasn’t like he and Merle were close, so much as life had always put them together when there was no one else to take care of them. Daryl didn’t want to talk about his family and he needed something else to focus on other than the warmth from her golden skin as his hand caressed Sam’s thigh, so he tried changing the subject. “Play something for me…that song you was working on.”

“Nope.” Sam shook her head in refusal. “You’ll just have to come to my party to hear it. You are coming, aren’t you?”

“Don’t see how I can. Ain’t like your daddy’s got me on the invite list.” Daryl shook his head at Sam and let his hand slip down her thigh just a little closer to the frayed hemline of the blue jean shorts she was wearing. Looking up at her through his long eyelashes, he pouted and asked again, “Come on, play it for me?”

“Uh-unh,” Sam muttered breathlessly as her mind was focused more on the hand that was now caressing the soft skin of her inner thigh. It wouldn’t take long with his hand where it was and those eyes looking at her the way they were before Sam threw out all of her morals and jumped Daryl right then and there. Licking her lips in anticipation of having Daryl’s hand a little further down her thigh, Sam’s eyes closed and her mind swam as she tried desperately to remember what they were talking about. 

Daryl felt himself harden at the sheer sight of the desire that washed over Sam as his hand slowly caressed the skin just below the frayed edge of her shorts. The fact that just the sight of her and the barest touch of his hand on her skin was enough to have him hard with lust for Sam was still a shock to Daryl. He’d had his fair share of women, but none of them got his motor running as quickly as Sam did. But, Daryl also knew this wasn’t the time or the place for them to have sex for the first time and reluctantly moved his hand back towards the safe zone of her knee. “We keep that up and we’ll be in trouble.”

“I really hate that you’re right.” Sam sighed and leaned her head over on to the back of the couch. Rolling her head slightly to the side so she could glance at Daryl, she asked, “I’ll know when it’s right, won’t I? I mean, how will I know?”

“I guess you just will.” Daryl shrugged and leaned his head back on the back of the couch, too, and rolled his head to the side to look at Sam. “Figure it’s different for girls. Guys just jump when their dicks say to.”

“So, how old were you then?” Sam reached out her hand, sliding it down her leg until it came in contact with Daryl’s. Lacing her fingers with his, she smiled at him and said, “Come on. Tell me.”

“Hell, I dunno…like thirteen or fourteen, I guess?” Daryl chuckled at the shock on Sam’s face and said, “You wanted to know.” He had, in fact, been only a week away from his fourteenth birthday when he had lost his virginity and it had been with a girl that lived across the street that was a couple of years older than him, but he wasn’t going to tell Sam that. “Like I said, it’s different for guys.”

“Gosh, I couldn’t even imagine…I think I still had dolls in my bedroom at that age.” Sam giggled and pointed out, “I was very much a late bloomer. Didn’t have my first kiss until I was sixteen.”

“Damn, by the time I was sixteen…” Daryl stopped himself and let that thought trail off into nothingness, figuring Sam didn’t need to know all the specifics of his sex life. “Um, so…late bloomer, huh? How in the hell did you end up with Cassie then? Doubt she was a late bloomer, too.”

“Oh, no, she wasn’t. Far from it actually.” Sam shrugged and said, “I dunno. We just clicked when I got to junior high. She’s a year older than me and actually got held back a year, had to repeat sixth grade because she missed too much school. Her parents are real nice and all, but they work crazy long hours and didn’t notice she wasn’t going to school. With all of her other friends a year above her they sort of just let their connection to her go.

“You know, she and I weren’t so different really. Sure, she “bloomed” a lot faster than me, but we have a lot in common, too. A lot of her friends stopped talking to her because she got held back…and a lot of people don’t really talk to me because of my family. It’s not that they don’t like me, but with the mayor and a police officer for a brother, most people just don’t want to be around me, you know?”

“I get that. Scares the shit out of me, too.” Daryl replied honestly. “Cassie’s a bit…well, you know…surprised your parents let you hang out with her. She ain’t exactly a good girl, if you get my drift.” In fact, he’d already heard quite a bit about Samantha’s best friend from the other guys in town that drifted in and out of the garage.

“Yeah, well, so what?” Sam replied with a defensive tone in her voice, the same one she used when her father had tried this very discussion with her in high school. “I’m not friends with a person because of who they are or aren’t. I don’t care what they drive or how much money they have or where they live. I love Cassie because she’s a good person. Sure, she makes some fairly questionable choices regarding men…and clothing, at times, but that’s not who she is. Not inside. She’s better than ninety-nine percent of the people in this town that judge her simply because they don’t know her.”

“Whoa!” Daryl held up his hands in surrender, honestly sorry for going down this path of discussion. “Didn’t mean anything by it. Was just asking.”

“Well, you can tell whoever told you stuff about Cassie to shove it up their ass next time.” Sam huffed and glared at Daryl. “It’s just like you. My parents would have a fit about you and do you see me kicking you to the curb? No.”

“Don’t see you telling them about me neither.” Daryl pointed out before he could bite back the words. Dropping his gaze from Sam’s, he resorted to chewing his fingernail, a nervous habit that he doubted he could ever break.

“You want me to go tell them? Because I will.” Sam untangled her legs from Daryl’s lap and stood up. Pointing towards the door, she challenged him, “I’ll go wake them up right now and tell them all about you if that’s what you want. They’re going to find out one day, I just wanted to wait and tell them after I see how I feel about you...after I know how you feel about me…what this between us actually is.”

“Calm down.” Daryl stood up and faced Sam, whose face was flushed red as she glared at him in annoyance. Reaching out, he placed his hands on her cheeks and leaned down to kiss her lips gently. “Don’t want to fight tonight…not with you, not ever. Ok? You tell them when you’re ready. But this…with us…for me? Don’t got no clue what it is, but I ain’t never felt this way with anyone else.”

Sam felt her anger slip away as quickly as it had made itself present. Staring up in to Daryl’s eyes, seeing the feelings that were present there, she whispered, “Me, too. And it scares the hell out of me.” Easing up on her tip toes, Sam pressed her lips against his in a soft kiss before murmuring, “I think you’ve already got my heart, Dixon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos!


	22. Chapter 22

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

Friday, June 18th, 1999

“Five more minutes,” Sam mumbled in her sleep when the sound of someone, undoubtedly her mother, knocking on the door. Snuggling down in her bed with her arms wrapped tightly around her pillow, she suddenly realized that the item in her arms was less like the fluffy pillow she slept with nightly and in reality shaped like Daryl. Bolting straight up off the couch, Sam grabbed Daryl’s arm and tried to simultaneously silently wake him up and tug him off the couch so she could shove him in the closet. “Hang on, Mom!” She called out, putting emphasis on who she was talking to as Daryl woke up and made eye contact with her. Quickly, Sam pulled Daryl across the room and tucked him away in the closet before opening the door to face her mother.

“Hey, sweetie, I just wanted to check on you.” Donna Collins asked with a concerned look when her daughter opened the locked door, seemingly out of breath and with flushed cheeks. While she hadn’t been a hundred percent shocked to find that Sam had locked her out after being interrupted the other morning, but that didn’t mean she liked the idea of Sam locking herself away all hours of the night. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah, Mom, just couldn’t sleep last night. Thought I’d get some work done.” Sam shrugged her shoulders and avoided her mother’s concerned gaze. “What time is it?”

“Nearly six o’clock. You’re supposed to go downtown for the final fitting on your dress at eight, but I can see if we can push it back if you want to get some more sleep?” Donna reached out and put her hand on Sam’s forehead, wondering if the flushed cheeks were due to a fever or just lack of sleep; dropping her hand when she found no sign of illness.

“That would be great, Mom. Maybe see if I could come in before the library?” Sam eased out in to the hallway, appearing as though she was going to use the back stairs to go to her bedroom, and waited until her mother went back in the kitchen before darting back inside the music room quickly. Jerking open the closet door, Sam grabbed hold of Daryl’s hand and out and all but pushed him towards the window he’d come in through last night. “I cannot believe we fell asleep! Thank goodness the door was locked. My mom would have freaked, I mean, literally freaked out if she found you in here.”

Wordlessly, Daryl put a hand on each of Sam’s shoulder and smiled down at her softly before leaning in to kiss her; effectively putting an end to her panicked ramble. Pulling away from her lips, he was glad to see that the worry on her face was lessened as Sam stared up at him dreamily. “It ain’t too bad waking up together.”

“No, it’s not. I wish it wasn’t so hectically done though.” Sam wrapped her arms around Daryl’s waist and leaned in to his warm embrace. “Maybe one day.” 

“Maybe.” Daryl hated to say goodbye, but the longer he stayed the more likely they were to be interrupted by her mother…or worse, her father. Reluctantly, he released his hold on her and looked out the window to find that the sun had already made its presence known for the day. “I’ll see you later.”

Sam accepted one last kiss from Daryl, merely a soft brush of his lips against hers, before he slipped out the window as silently as he had entered through it last night. She watched over him as he slunk out of the back yard and disappeared in to the thicket of trees before shutting the window and locking it. Easing the door shut, Sam tiptoed down the hallway to the back stairs and made her way up to her bedroom as quietly as possible. Once in her bedroom, she stepped out of her blue jean shorts and wiggled her bra out one sleeve before falling into bed with a bright smile of happiness plastered across her face.

By the time Daryl made it to where he’d stowed his motorcycle the night before and pulled it out of the woods, he had just enough time to make it home for a quick shower and change of clothes before work. Pulling into the gravel slot in front of the mobile home, he noticed that Merle had finally managed to drag himself home, after staying behind with a woman he picked up at a dive bar once they’d completed their run that week. Figuring his brother would still be asleep since he wasn’t known to be much of an early riser, Daryl was mildly surprised to find Merle awake and watching television when he went inside. 

“Well, well, looks like someone pulled an all-nighter.” Merle observed as he shuffled his feet around until the recliner was facing Daryl instead of the television. “No wonder you left the other night, already had a piece of snatch waiting for you at home.”

Daryl shrugged and avoided responding to Merle’s comments as he kicked off his boots and left them by the couch. Crossing the living room, he went in to the kitchen and rummaged around until he found something relatively edible and settled down on the couch to eat. “When’d you get back?”

“’Bout an hour ago. Ain’t gonna be here long, got another run this weekend up north.” Merle fished around in his shirt pocket until he located his lighter and lit up the cigarette dangling between his lips. Releasing a puff of smoke, he asked Daryl, “You interested?”

“Nah. Told boss man I’d be in today.” Daryl wadded up the cellophane from the pack of crackers he’d located and already consumed. After eyeballing the clock, he decided he had enough time to join his brother in a smoke and lit up. “How much you raking in now?”

“Three grand each run. More money to be made if you want to step up your game, baby brother. You let me know when you want to stop being a pussy and join us for the real work.” Merle laughed and took a drag on his cigarette. “Anytime you’re ready.”

Eyeballing their dismal surroundings, Daryl thought about what he could improve around the house if he stepped up for a handful of runs instead of just being the lead man. Hell, he could even afford to get the hell out of the trailer park and move somewhere decent, somewhere he wouldn’t be ashamed to bring Samantha back to. Nodding his head, he looked at Merle and said, “Yeah, I could do with that. When’s the next one?”

“Next weekend. Leave Friday night, come back Saturday afternoon…maybe Sunday morning. So, you’re in?” Merle smiled at his little brother, a look that should have been a friendly gesture from one brother to the other, but somehow failed to produce the warmth required and ended up on the verge of sinister instead. 

“I’m in.” Daryl finished off his cigarette and ground out the stub in the ashtray on the table. Pushing to his feet, he headed towards the bathroom to get ready for work with a dark cloud forming in his head. The whole damn thing was a bad idea, but the thought of being able to move in to a house that he wouldn’t be embarrassed to show Samantha won out in the end. 

By the time lunch rolled around, the pack of crackers Daryl had eaten for breakfast had significantly worn off, so he took his break and headed down the street to grab lunch. Opting to just hit Marie’s, Daryl barely registered the face of the woman he opened the door for until the sound of Samantha’s voice caught his attention. Realizing that the ladies he’d held the door for to exit were actually Sam and her mother, Daryl’s words became garbled as he attempted to say hello to them.

“Mom, this is Daryl, he’s the one that helped me out with my car when it went kaput on me a couple weeks ago. He works over at Swain’s.” Sam smiled at Daryl as she introduced him to her mother, happy to do so, but wished it was in a different context.

“Oh, of course, I’ve heard about you. Mr. Swain says your one of the best mechanics he’s had in there in a while.” Donna gave the young man in front of her a quick once over and smiled warmly at him. “Thank you for taking care of Sam so quickly.”

“Welcome.” Daryl mumbled, unaccustomed to being given thanks simply for doing his job; except when it came to Samantha, that is. He considered offering his hand to shake hers since this was an introduction, but opted against it since his nails were still covered in grease, despite washing them before leaving the shop. “Wasn’t a problem, ma’am.”

“Well, it was nice to meet you.” Donna smiled politely at the young man and said to Sam, “Sam, we need to get going if we’re going to make it to the appointment on time.”

“Yes, ma’am. Bye, Daryl.” Sam smiled at Daryl before dutifully following her mother across the parking lot and managed to cast on final lingering look in his direction before crawling inside the car. With a flick of her fingers, she waved goodbye to him as her mother’s attention was focused on pulling out in traffic. 

Later that afternoon, after spending an hour being poked and prodded at the dress shop and reading to a group of children who had no interest in being cooped up in the library, Samantha was taking the time to help out the elderly librarian by putting away the stack of books that had accumulated on the return cart during kids hour when she heard Daryl’s voice. Curious, she stuck her head around the edge of the row of books she was currently straightening and smiled as he noticed her looking at him.

“Sam, honey, could you show this young man where the books on engine repair are for me?” Ms. Sturdivant asked when she noticed Samantha looking in their direction. With her steely gray hair that held a tint of blue to it in the right light and thick glasses dangling from around her neck on a string, Ellen Sturdivant was long past retirement at seventy-three years old, but that didn’t mean she was anywhere close to calling it quits at the library she had worked at for the past fifteen years since leaving her job as an elementary school teacher. Although, over the past couple of years, she had to admit that getting around was becoming more of a chore and was grateful for the assistance that Samantha Collins offered free of charge. 

“Of course, Ms. Ellen,” Sam motioned for Daryl to follow her and damn near ran to the end of the stacks so that she could get him alone. Once they were out of earshot and line of sight from the librarian, Sam flung herself at him and peppered his face with kisses. “I don’t know why you’re here, I’m just happy you are.”

“Didn’t get a chance to ask when I’d get to see you again.” Daryl managed to get out between kisses. Once he’d explained himself, he wrapped his arms around Samantha’s tiny waist and pulled her against him tightly. 

Sam lost herself in Daryl’s embrace as she always seemed to do so easily and whispered a whimper of regret when his lips were no longer on hers. Realizing his gaze was focused elsewhere when she opened her eyes to look at him, Sam followed his line of sight until she located what had distracted him. There, standing not five feet from where they had been making out, was little Julie Martin, one of the kids that she read to three days a week. “Julie, hey sweetie, I, um…I thought you’d gone home already.”

“I looked outside through the glass door like you showed us and her car isn’t there. And, Ms. Ellen’s not at the desk.” Julie looked up at Sam with watery hazel eyes. Walking over to where Sam was now crouched down on her knees, Julie slid her hand in to Sam’s and looked up at Daryl. “Is that your boyfriend?”

“Well, he’s a boy and he’s my friend, so I guess so.” Sam explained and smiled at Julie, who was still studying Daryl intently. “I was helping him find a book on cars, but we don’t have the one he needs.”

“Can you find my mommy for me then?” Julie gave Daryl one last curious gaze, fairly certain that you didn’t look for books with your tongue in someone’s mouth, but didn’t voice her opinion on the matter since she wasn’t a grown up. 

“Of course, I’m sure she’s just running late.” Sam stood up and said to Daryl, “I’m sorry we don’t have the book you’re looking for, but you know who might have one? Cassie, at her house, you could come by tomorrow around lunch and see?”

Picking up on what Samantha was telling him, Daryl gave her a half smile and nodded, “Sure. Tomorrow.” He considered kissing her goodbye, but figured they had already pushed their luck enough for one day, especially since Julie’s hazel eyes were still focused on him intently. Unnerved a bit by the small child’s inspection, Daryl excused himself and headed outside to his motorcycle.

“There’s Ms. Ellen, Jules, she didn’t disappear on us.” Sam leaned over the counter and grabbed the file folder with parent’s names in it and started looking up Julie’s mom’s telephone number. Just as she was about to place the call, she heard Julie squeal with delight and turned around to find Mrs. Martin coming through the door. “I was just about to give you a call.”

“I’m so sorry about being late. My meeting ran late.” Mrs. Martin exclaimed as she took her daughter by the hand. “Thank you for taking care of her.”

“It’s not a problem. Ya’ll have a good weekend.” Samantha waved goodbye to them and turned back to the counter to replace the file folder in her hand. “Well, Ms. Ellen, I guess that’s it for me, unless you need something.”

“No, that should be it. That young man didn’t find what he was looking for?” The librarian asked, more out of habit than actual curiosity, as she gathered up her purse and the large key ring that held enough keys to cover half the houses in the town.

“No, ma’am, but I directed to where he might find it.” Sam held open the glass door for the elderly librarian to exit the building and stood by while she locked up for the night. 

“That’s nice, dear. You are such a nice young lady, too bad more kids out there nowadays weren’t blessed with your manners.” Ellen shook her head at the thought of how the majority of the younger generation behaved these days, with their revealing clothes, piercings, tattoos and general overall lack of respect for others. Glancing over at Samantha, who was dressed conservatively in pale pink skirt and button up short sleeved white shirt and sensible white flats, Ellen once again wished more kids could act like the young lady who had volunteered at the library since she could drive herself there. “You have a good weekend, Samantha.”

“Yes, ma’am, you do the same. Try not to party too hard.” Sam smiled as Ms. Sturdivant chuckled and shook her head at the notion of partying too hard at her age. Watching over the elderly woman as she got in to her car, Sam waved goodbye and before getting in to her car that she’d left in the parking lot prior to going to get lunch with her mother. After pulling out of the parking lot, Sam headed towards home and wished that the evening would fly by so that she could see Daryl the next day.


	23. Chapter 23

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

Saturday, June 19th, 1999

 

The next afternoon, Samantha and Cassie were lounging in the backyard, enjoying the occasional spritz of a nearby water sprinkler on the hot afternoon, when the telltale rumbling sound of Daryl’s motorcycle cut through the blaring music from the radio on the porch. Jumping up from the ground where she’d been laying for the past couple of hours on a beach towel, Sam excitedly ran over to the fence gate and opened it in time to let Daryl inside the backyard. Once they were safely ensconced inside the backyard, Sam flung herself into his arms and wrapped her legs around his hips. 

“Seriously, get a room.” Cassie made a big show out of rolling her eyes as though she was really exasperated by their display of affection as she got to her feet and headed towards the kitchen. “I’m going for drinks.”

“You sure it’s ok for me to be here?” Daryl asked once Cassie disappeared inside the residence. “Ain’t her parents around?”

“Actually no, they’re out of town for the night.” The look on Daryl’s face had Sam suddenly aware of the fact that she was wearing only a few scraps of fuchsia material and that her bikini didn’t leave much to the imagination. “Are you ogling me?”

“Damn straight I am.” Daryl leered at Sam and shook his disheveled mop of dark brown hair to get it out of his eyes. It was way past time to have his hair cut, but so far, between spending time with Sam and work, he hadn’t found a chance to have it done. Of course, with the way it felt having Sam run her fingers through it, Daryl wasn’t quite sure he wanted to lop of it just yet anyway. 

“Have ya’ll even come up for air?” Cassie announced her presence with a sarcastic remark, only ever so slightly jealous at the intertwined couple in her back yard. With her hands full of drinks and snacks, Cassie headed back towards her spot of grass. “Dixon, I got a beer for you. Sam, you got water.”

Sam regretfully slid from Daryl’s arms and led him over to the massive towel she’d been laying on when he got there. Plenty of room for two, she patted one side of the purple and blue swirled material and accepted the bottle of water Cassie handed over. Laying down on the towel, Sam made herself comfortable by putting her head in Daryl’s lap and looked up at him while he chugged down half the bottle of beer. “Thirsty much?”

“It’s fucking hot out here.” Daryl, as a rule, rarely wore anything but long pants unless he was swimming and today was no exception. “Don’t you got a pool at home, why ya’ll suffering in this heat?”

“Yes, I have a pool, but I also have parents at my house. So, I suffer with Cassie with the slight relief a sad little water sprinkler can offer, and enjoy a parent free residence for the evening.” Sam smiled up at Daryl and relished the feel of the droplet of water that slipped off his bottle of beer and slid down her chest. 

“One must suffer for a killer tan.” Cassie pointed out as she chugged the bottle of beer she’d procured for herself. Eyeballing the couple to her right, she asked, “So, what are you lovebirds up to tonight?”

“Hanging with you, I guess. No plans anyway.” Sam shaded her eyes and looked over at Cassie who appeared to be thinking about something. “What? You got big plans or something?” 

“Nah, not big plans,” Cassie managed to say those few words with enough infliction that they sounded downright perverted. “But, I had something I could do if you wanted to spend time with Daryl.”

“Anything you wanna do?” Sam inwardly cringed at her choice of words and wondered if Daryl picked up on the slightly perverted offering, but then decided it hadn’t been that bad and she had just spent too much time with Cassie already. 

Daryl looked down at Sam, who still had her head laying on his lap and was stretched out on the towel wearing next to nothing, and thought to himself that he’d rather not do anything that would require her to put on clothes. Instead of letting that idea out of his head, Daryl thought about the second helmet he’d purchased just that morning and offered, “We could go for a ride. Maybe grab some food?”

And, eventually, that’s what they ended up deciding on doing, after spending the last few hours of the afternoon lounging around in the yard. Since they were just going to go for a casual drive and nothing fancy, Sam ran into the house to spruce up a bit and pulled on a pair of blue jean shorts and a blue tank top over her swimsuit and slipped on a pair of sandals. After winding her long hair into a messy bun at the nape of her neck and putting on her prerequisite cotton candy lip gloss, Sam left Cassie in her bedroom to continue getting ready to do whatever, or whomever, she was doing that night, and hurried back outside to where Daryl was smoking near his bike.

For the millionth time since meeting Daryl, she was amazed at how just the sight of him caused her heart to skip a beat and hoped that feeling would never go away. Walking around the motorcycle to stand beside him, she took the helmet Daryl held out to her and noticed a second one hanging on the handlebars. “Hey, you got a second one.” Sam stated the obvious, as Daryl was obviously aware that he now owned two helmets. 

“Got it for you.” Daryl helped Sam settle the helmet on her head and was pleased that it seemed to fit her perfectly. He’d gotten up earlier than he had intended to do that morning and decided to use the extra time to drive over to the bike shop in the next town for some parts and had ended up buying Sam her very own helmet. “Looks like it fits.”

Sam settled in behind Daryl and wrapped her arms around him tightly as the feel of his body pressed against hers combined with the loud rumble of the bike roaring to life sent shivers across her skin. Leaning against him, Sam peeked over his left shoulder as he navigated them out of Cassie’s neighborhood, through town and out on to the highway that would take them out of Collins. She didn’t care where they were going or what they were going to do, so long as she was with Daryl the rest didn’t matter to her.

Daryl drove north, heading them away from Collins in search of a place where they could relax and not worry about the prying eyes around them. Almost two hours later, he pulled off the highway and in to the parking lot of a diner whose sign boasted that they had the best burgers in the area. After pulling in to a parking spot, Daryl cut the engine and crawled off the bike and turned to help Sam off, too. Nodding towards the garishly lit diner, he asked, “This okay?”

“Looks good to me.” Sam slipped off her helmet and hung it on the opposite handlebar to Daryl’s helmet. Taking his hand in hers, she let him lead the way in to the diner; happy as a clam that she didn’t have to hide the fact that they were together. 

Once inside, they took a seat in a booth in the corner. Sam slid in to the bright blue colored seat and grabbed two menus, handing one to Daryl and keeping one for herself. It had been hours since she’d eaten lunch and her stomach was seriously close to making embarrassingly loud rumbling sounds as she eyeballed the large pictures of diner food on the laminated menu. Deciding what she wanted just before the waitress came over to take their order, she returned the menu to the rack and, when prompted by Daryl to go first, ordered, “Double bacon cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate milkshake, please.”

“Same, but coke instead of the shake. Thanks.” Daryl added his menu to the stack and shook his head in amusement. “You gonna eat all that?”

“Fully intend to. I’m starving.” Sam didn’t miss the look on his face and added, “What? You normally date girls that eat salads or something?”

“Or something.” Daryl decided against telling Sam that he had never taken any of the women he ‘dated’, for lack of a better word, out for a meal. He figured she had no interest in knowing that time spent with women before he met her was done solely to satiate a different type of hunger. Instead of elaborating, he reached across the table and took her hands in his, taking his chance fully to openly express his attraction to Sam without anyone saying anything against it. Looking down to their entwined hands, he ran a finger across one of her pale pink nails and wondered how Sam’s hands could be so small in his, yet have such long fingers. It was a strange phenomenon, like how she was so short, but somehow managed to have long legs. It didn’t make sense and yet it worked. 

Sam watched Daryl closely as he held her hand against his, apparently seeing how small hers was within his. She loved the feel of his hands on her skin; the rough texture of his skin as it brushed across hers. They sat there in silence for no reason at all other than to simply enjoy being able to hold hands in public. It wasn’t long though, before they had to let go of one another so that the waitress could sit down their food on the table. She could feel Daryl’s eyes on her as she picked up the massive burger in her hands and took as big of bite as she could possibly fit in her mouth. 

Daryl eventually had to admit that he’d been wrong in assuming that Samantha wasn’t going to be able to eat all the food she had ordered. In fact, she had not only polished off the double bacon cheeseburger with fries and a chocolate milkshake, but had reached across the table when she was done and snagged a few of his fries, as well. Utterly shocked and at a loss as to where she managed to put it all, Daryl finished the rest of his meal before he pulled out his wallet and put down enough money to cover their meal with a tip. Sliding out of the booth, Daryl held out his hand and helped Sam out of the booth and slung his arm across her shoulder as they walked out of the diner. 

Once outside, they both donned their helmets and climbed back on to the bike. Before turning the key to start it up, Daryl looked over his shoulder and asked, “Where to, ma’am?”

“Doesn’t matter, so long as it’s with you.” Sam replied with a smile as she slid her arms around his waist. “Just drive.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos, hope you guys are still liking the story.


	24. Chapter 24

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

The Past: Monday night, March 5th, 2012

After dinner, Daryl escorted Jacey back to the apartment to wait for Sam to return from meeting with her father. Since she was taking longer than he had expected, but knowing all too well how long winded Jim Collins was known to be, Daryl was sitting on the couch in the dimly lit room in near silence, with only the faint sounds of Jacey snoring while she slept on the couch beside him. While the whole situation with him returning to Collins was awkward and confusing, the way his little sister had taken to him in spite of the tension between himself and everyone else in the town was nothing short of a surprise. They’d only known one another for a whole day and Jacey was already comfortable enough to sleep peacefully next to him, with her head resting on a pillow beside his thigh.

When they’d gotten back to the apartment, he’d dutifully watched over Jacey while she finished her homework; even managing to help her out with a handful of words on a spelling worksheet in the process. Afterwards, she had strewn a multitude of toys out across the braided rug in the living room and introduced him to the world of something to do with animals in a pet shop. Eventually, the tow headed seven year old had become exhausted in her attempt to stay awake until Samantha returned home and had fallen asleep on the couch while idly flipping through a photo album of her younger years.

Now, Daryl held the glitter covered photo album in his lap and went over the pictures himself, without narration from Jacey. His heart ached as he scanned through the images of Sam and Jacey’s life together; his pain a mix from not being able to be there for his sister when she had needed him and watching Sam raise a daughter that wasn’t her own, a reality that had unfortunately been taken from her years ago. 

What seemed like hours later, Sam wearily climbed the stairs to the apartment via the back entrance. The meeting with her father, seeing Ryan and the conversation with Daryl during dinner had exhausted her emotionally and physically. Now, as she pulled open the heavy door and eased inside the darkened apartment, the only thing she wanted to do was strip off her clothes and fall in to bed; hopefully slipping in to a sleep coma for at least eight hours. With only the pale stream of light from the flashlight she’d borrowed from her father’s office to guide her through the apartment, Sam went in to the living room and felt her heart lurch at the sight of Daryl and Jacey on the couch. They were both fast asleep, Jacey sprawled out across the couch with her head edge slightly up onto Daryl’s thigh while he was slouched down low enough so that his head was resting on the back of the couch. Torn between letting them stay where they were and waking them up so that Jacey could sleep in her own bed and Daryl could go back to his group in the sleeping quarters, Sam leaned against the wall and just watched them for a bit instead.

Deciding against waking them, Sam tiptoed across the room as quietly as possible and covered Jacey up with a blanket that was tossed over the opposite armrest. Remembering that Daryl was always hotter in temperature than she had been and often kicked off all the blankets at night, Sam decided against covering him up and simply snuffed out the lantern on the table beside the couch. With a yawn, Sam turned around and went back in to the hallway to climb the ladder that lead to her sleeping loft. Kicking off her boots, she quickly changed out of the clothes she was wearing and pulled on a well-worn long sleeved button up shirt she often slept in when the air was cool outside; feeling comfortable and warm in the soft material that fell almost to her knees. Flicking off the flashlight, she plunged the apartment in to complete darkness and snuggled deep below the mound of blankets that covered the mattress she slept on. Buried beneath their warmth and weight, sleep came easily for Sam that night. 

Early the next morning, before the sun was even over the horizon, Daryl woke suddenly and was momentarily confused as to where he was until the fog of sleep drifted away. Realizing that he’d fallen asleep on the couch with Jacey while waiting for Sam to come home, he was suddenly filled with worry that she hadn’t made it back to the apartment since he and the kid were both in the same positions that they’d been before he’d fallen asleep. Daryl glanced down at Jacey and noticed the blanket that was now covering her tiny frame. The blanket that had been folded and tossed over the arm rest the night before. Glancing up at the sleep loft, Daryl could just make out the shapes of Sam’s boots and a pile of clothes at the edge. Not only had she come home and left them sleeping on the couch, but she had changed and slept without bothering to close the drapes for privacy. Now that he was aware of the situation, and knew that Sam was in deed home safely, Daryl leaned his head back on the couch once more and closed his eyes, as he was in no hurry to wake up either of the girls suddenly in his life. 

By the time Sam woke up, her head crammed under the pillow and the rest of her body still buried beneath a mound of blankets, the sun was fully awake and flooding the tiny apartment with golden light. After a thorough stretching of all of her limbs, Sam kicked off the blankets and crawled out of bed. Not completely awake yet, she sleepily crawled out of the sleep loft and descended the ladder and padded down the hallway towards the bathroom. While they didn’t shower in the apartment, they used the facility at the gym to do that, the addition of a container of rainwater in the bathroom allowed them to at least use the toilet, wash their faces and brush their teeth in the sink. She quickly used the restroom and headed in to Jacey’s room to wake her up for school, clearly forgetting that the child had slept on the couch with Daryl the night before. 

Sam headed back down the hallway in to the living room and found the two of them still on the couch, still very much asleep, despite the sunlight streaming through the window. Crossing the room, she leaned down and gently rousted the slumbering child, “Jace, sweetie, it’s time to wake up.”

“Morning,” Daryl mumbled, his voice gruffer than normal after a long night’s sleep. He rubbed a hand over his face and honestly couldn’t remember the last time he had slept that well. He watched as Jacey stumbled down the hallway, not quiet awake yet, and disappeared in to the bathroom. Looking back at Sam, noticing she was still dressed in what she considered to be pajamas and sporting a miraculous case of bedhead, he asked, “Why’d you not wake me?”

Sam shrugged her shoulders and sat down on the couch, at the opposite end from Daryl, and could feel the weight of his gaze on her. Suddenly very aware of her clothing situation, she pulled the blanket left on the couch between them over her bare legs and tried to smooth down her hair with her hands. “I don’t know. You were both out cold, didn’t want to bother.” Looking over at Daryl, she remarked, “I see you still sleep like the dead.”

“First time in a long time.” Daryl replied, flashing a crooked half smile towards Sam. Squinting his eyes at her, he finally paid attention to the long sleeved men’s shirt she was wearing and asked, “You still got that thing? Ain’t that mine?”

“No.” Sam replied a little too quickly and definitely too defensively. ‘Yes’, she thought to herself as she looked down at the faded black material with the missing button and frayed hole in the pocket and knew that if he was closer and able to get a better view of it, Daryl would know she was lying. “I have had more than one sleep shirt over the years.”

The air was thick with the silence that hung between them. Daryl was fairly certain that Sam wasn’t being completely honest with him about the previous owner of the shirt she was wearing. He knew all too well that she had procured more than one of his shirts for the purpose of sleeping years ago. While it had been a good twelve years, that particular black shirt looked very familiar to him and Daryl took that as a good sign that the feelings Sam had for him weren’t entirely full of loathing. 

The sharp crack of knuckles against the metal back door broke the silence, but didn’t make it any less awkward since Sam knew who was on the other side of the door before she even got off the couch to open it. “Shit,” She muttered under her breath as she shoved aside the blanket and pushed off the couch. Raising her voice to a level that would be loud enough to hurry Jacey along, Sam said, “Jace! Come on, you’re late for school!”

Without bothering to look over her shoulder at Daryl, who was still lounging comfortably on her couch, Sam unlocked the door and opened it wide enough so that Ryan’s large frame could enter the narrow hallway; a place where he always looked like a giant in a space built for gnomes. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, that being one where her ex-husband was in her living room and her boyfriend was in her hallway, Sam had no clue how to deal with the situation that lie before her. 

“Hey, I’m sorry…we’re running a little late this morning.” Sam explained as she closed the backdoor. “Jacey’s still getting ready, so I’ve got to get her to school soon.”

“It’s just band practice, not like we can’t be a little late.” Ryan pointed out, his usual charming smile fading as he looked over Sam’s head to where Daryl was sitting on the couch. Dropping his gaze back down to catch Sam’s eye with a questioning look, he cocked his eyebrow in a manner that required no words. 

“He fell asleep on the couch with Jacey last night.” Sam explained as she looked over her shoulder quickly to see Daryl standing up as though he planned to head their way. Turning back to Ryan, she lowered her voice and murmured, “Nothing happened.”

Daryl got up from the couch and closed the gap between himself and the couple near the door. Something about the man in the hallway was familiar, but he couldn’t quite put a finger on his identity. Once he was standing behind Sam, he eyeballed the dark haired man while saying, “Um, I can walk her to school.”

“That would actually be great.” Sam replied, turning slightly to look over her shoulder at Daryl. Figuring that Daryl didn’t remember Ryan after all these years, she decided to get the awkward introductions over with and said, “Daryl, this is Ryan. You probably don’t remember him…I guess last time you saw him would’ve been at Tiny’s, maybe?”

Daryl nodded towards Ryan and murmured a barely audible hello as the man glowered at him. He definitely remembered the guy now, placing him as the guitarist that had followed Sam around with puppy dog eyes the entire summer he and Samantha had dated. Of course, that wasn’t the last time Daryl had seen Ryan, but Sam didn’t know that. She had no clue that Daryl had followed her music career as closely as he did or that he’d been at more than one of her concerts. 

Thankfully, the tension in the room was alleviated when Jacey finally came out of the bedroom with her book bag. Not picking up on the awkward situation, she slipped past Ryan and edged closer to Daryl; instinctively choosing the brother she barely knew over the man who’d been in her life in one way or the other since coming to live with Sam. Scrunching her brow, Jacey asked Sam, “You’re not walking me to school like that are you?”

“No, definitely not. Wouldn’t want to embarrass you, kiddo.” Sam replied with a chuckled. “Actually, Daryl’s going to take you, if that’s okay?” Seeing the look of happiness on Jacey’s face was justification enough that she needed to do whatever it took to deal with Daryl’s sudden reappearance in her life. Turning her gaze back to Daryl, she said, “Thank you.”

“It’s no problem.” Daryl felt Jacey’s hand slip inside his and start to pull him towards the door. Realizing that was his cue that it was time to leave, he murmured, “I’ll, um…talk to you later.”

Sam held the door open for them as they left, Jacey hopping down each stair happily as she held on to Daryl’s hand tightly. She’d barely shut the door when she felt Ryan’s hands on her hips and his lips on her neck and for the first time since they’d become a couple the feel of him pressed behind lacked the comforting feel it had only a week earlier.


	25. Chapter 25

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

Tuesday, March 6th, 2012

Since she didn’t teach music on Monday and Tuesdays, Sam shied away from Ryan’s lunch invitation after a less than stellar band practice and returned back to her apartment alone instead. While she felt bad for undoubtedly hurting Ryan’s feelings, judging from the wounded look in his eyes, Sam needed some time alone and the only time to do that was while Jacey was at school, unless she arranged a sleepover for the kid with family. Grabbing a bottle of water and a pouch of out of date pop tarts that had been procured on the latest scavenging run, Sam headed up to the roof with her guitar; intent on sorting out her feelings the only way she knew how. 

With her battered guitar slung over her back, Sam stuffed her notebook and meager lunch in to a bag and hooked it over her shoulder long enough to climb the rickety stairs towards her destination. While springtime was just slightly over the horizon, the day was warmer than it had been in months, but still had a chill in the air. Beneath the robin’s egg blue sky peppered with fluffy white clouds, Sam sat down at the table and pulled out her notebook and pencil. After flipping to the page she had scribbled down a few notes that morning while waiting on the remaining band members to show up, she bit down on her lip as she went over them and made some alterations.

 _“Boy it’s been all this time…And I can’t get you off my mind…And nobody knows it but me,”_ Sam tried out the first lines experimentally while strumming along on her guitar; trying to find the feeling she’d been experiencing when she’d written them down that morning and the right intonation as she put those words to music. _“I stare at your photograph…still sleep in the shirt you left…and nobody knows it but me.”_

Pausing, Sam let go of the guitar long enough to scratch a slight change in the notes on the piece of paper filled with scribbles, barely legible words and doodles, before sticking the yellow pencil between her teeth and trying out the changes she’d made without the music. Satisfied with the slight change, she added another line and dropped the pencil on to the notebook to try it out. _“Every day I wipe my tears away…So many nights I’ve prayed for you to say,"_ Stopping to make yet another notation, scribbling in parenthesis that this break would be perfect for a chorus that she’d figure out later, Sam added a few lines beneath the notation as to what the next part might sound like. _“My friends think I’m moving on…But the truth is I’m not that strong…And nobody knows it but me…”_

Hearing a sound from behind her, Sam knew that she was no longer alone and turned around in time to see Cassie’s head pop up over the railing. Ashamed that she was happy that her visitor wasn’t Ryan, and relieved that it wasn’t Daryl, Sam smiled towards her best friend and said, “Skipping out on lunch duty?”

“I shockingly got special treatment from your mom.” Cassie plopped down beside Sam. “Ryan showed up at lunch alone…she sent me to check on you. You know, because he looked like someone had kicked the dog that he doesn’t own, so clearly it had something to do with you. Was she right?”

“Guilty as charged.” Taking off her guitar, Sam laid it on the ground beside them and explained, “Ryan showed up this morning to pick me up for practice, as he usually does, except this time Daryl was sitting on my couch. He spent the night.”

“You’re shitting me!” Cassie exclaimed with her eyes wide and sparkling with curiosity. Leering at her best friend, she added, “Certainly didn’t take long for you to jump back on that boat.”

“There was absolutely no boat jumping. I swear. He walked Jacey home for me last night after dinner so I could talk with dad and by the time I got home they were both asleep on the couch. I didn’t want to bother them by waking him up, so I just went to bed. Alone. Nothing happened.” Sam reiterated for the second time that day. 

Looking skeptical, Cassie dug a cigarette out of her coat pocket and lit it up. After taking a long slow inhale and equally as long exhale, Cassie leveled her gaze at her best friend. “It’s never nothing with you two, Sam. You can pretend with everyone else, but not me. I was there for all of it, every little bit, so be truthful with me, please? You never got over him, did you? Even after all this time, after everything you went through, you still love Daryl, don’t you?”

“I don’t want to.” Sam admitted with a whisper as she dropped her eyes to look at the hands that knitted together nervously in her lap. “I really thought I was over him, Cass. Seeing him though, it’s like it all came rushing back, you know? I don’t know what to do though…about him…about Ryan. I don’t want to hurt Ryan, but how can I not when I apparently still have feelings for Daryl? And, even though I do still love Daryl, it’s not like I want to be with him…it’s not like I can just forget everything that happened.”

“I wish I could tell you what to do or just snap my fingers and make it all better, but I can’t. Hell, I’ve never even been in a serious relationship, so it’s not like I can even give you advice.” Cassie replied bitterly. While she had been infatuated with Tyler Collins for as long as she could remember, Cassie knew that he didn’t feel the same way about her and had come to accept that as best as she could. Not that Sam knew anything about their relationship, if it could even be called that. She and Tyler had been sneaking around behind everyone’s backs off and on for years. They had been on a cooling off period when the outbreak started to spread, but for the past six months or so, they had been shacking up in one another’s apartments at night and slinking back to their own residences before sunrise as though they were guilty of doing something wrong.

Blowing out another stream of smoke, Cassie added, “I can say that no matter what you decide with Daryl, you need to deal with Ryan first. Ya’ll have been together in one way or the other for a long time, it’s not fair to just ignore him. At least talk to him, he’s a pretty understanding person, you know?”

“Yeah, I know.” Sam sighed and slid down in her chair until her head was resting against the back of it. Looking up at the sky as though an answer to her problems might lie somewhere in the puffs of clouds, Sam stayed silent for a few heartbeats before finally saying, “I love him, you know? Ryan. I do love him.”

Cassie didn’t respond, feeling as though Sam’s remark was meant more as a reassurance to herself rather than to her friend. Instead, Cassie ground out her cigarette and mimicked Sam’s pose; sliding down in the seat to stare at the sky. Silently, they sat like that, admiring the azure sky and contemplating life.

At the other end of town, Daryl was emerging from the woods with a turkey hanging from his left hand and a small collection of other woodland creatures strapped to his belt, when Carol motioned to him from the back steps of the municipal building where she had been helping clean up after lunch. She stood there on the steps, tucked under the corrugated tin canopy, while Daryl dropped off the animals he’d killed with the gentlemen that took care of game cleaning and eventually wandered over to where she waited patiently. 

“Looks like things went well out there today.” Carol said, opting for the obligatory small talk first, instead of what she really wanted to say to Daryl. She’d wanted to talk to him about Sam, check in and see how he was doing, how he was coping with Beth’s death, but had no idea how to even broach the subject once she had finally managed to get him alone. Watching Daryl shrug and say nothing about his accomplishment wasn’t abnormal. He wasn’t one to brag about himself and what he provided for their group and the others in the town they were currently residing in. “I…I just wanted to say hi. See how you’re doing? I haven’t gotten a chance to talk to you, alone, since we got here.”

“I’m fine.” Daryl mumbled as he cocked his head slightly to the side and squinted at Carol as the late afternoon sun peaked around the awning directly in his face. As he stared at the woman he considered to be one of his closest friends, one of the few people in his life that he actually cared about, Daryl wondered what was really on Carol’s mind; what was really hidden behind the small talk she was initiating. 

“So you’re married, huh? Why didn’t you ever mention that before?” Carol finally said after mustering up the courage; knowing that he wasn’t going to stand around and do the idle chit chat much longer. 

Shrugging, Daryl let his eyes drop to the ground to avoid her questioning gaze. “Didn’t tell much of anyone. Ain’t nobody’s business.” To be honest, he hadn’t told anyone outside of Collins that he’d once been married to Samantha. In fact, other than his brother, no one else in his life had ever known about it; expect his father, but that hadn’t been on his part. Then the outbreak had happened, he’d become a part of an unlikely family and he'd ended up telling Beth.

“I’m sorry. You’re right, if you wanted me to know…” Carol drifted off; letting the awkward conversation drop. Silence lay between them as Daryl avoided her gaze and Carol tried to muster up the courage to say something more. Finally, when Daryl shuffled his feet and took a step backwards, appearing as though he was about to dart off, she mustered up the courage to bring up Beth. Taking a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for what was to come, Carol said, “Beth? I…I think she saved my life. She saved your life, too, right?” Looking away from his curious gaze, she removed the knife that was tucked in her waistband at the back of her pants and tentatively held it out to Daryl. “It was hers.”

Daryl took the knife from Carol’s hand. Turned it over in his hands, inspected the handle of the weapon he was all too familiar with. Holding Beth’s knife, his mind instantly conjured up an image of her; of teaching her to track with his crossbow, of the piggyback he’d given her when she’d stepped in the trap, of sharing the strange assortment of food in the funeral home, of her smile and the sound of her laugh. Feeling his heart constrict from the pain of losing Beth, of failing her, Daryl stared down at his hands as they clasped the leather sheath tightly and felt the sting of tears in his eyes as Carol moved closer to him.

“You’re not dead. That’s what you said. You’re not dead. I know you, you’re different…I can’t let myself, but you? I know you. You have to let yourself feel it.” Carol paused and brushed aside the thick swath of dark hair that covered his eyes and leaned forward to place a soft kiss on his forehead. ”You will.”

 

*Song All We’d Ever Need by Lady Antebellum**

**Carol’s last words in this chapter to Daryl are clearly the work of the writers of TWD and not mine. I just loved them so much that I wanted to use them, so please don’t sue. **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the reviews and kudos!


	26. Chapter 26

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

The Past: Friday, June 25th, 1999

Due to conflicting schedules, mostly on Sam’s part since she’d been busy with her mother planning her birthday party plus going back and forth between practicing with both bands for separate gigs, she had not been able to see Daryl the rest of the week. Since she was on the verge of going bonkers with Daryl withdrawal, clearly needing to admit that she had an addiction to him that rivaled that of a drug addict with their favorite narcotic, Sam ended up downtown parked across from the garage until the coast was clear. Once Mr. Swain left for his lunch and there were no customers lounging around waiting for their car, Sam jumped out of her car and ran across the street with barely a glance to check for traffic; her mind only focused on seeing Daryl.

Slipping inside the garage bay door, Sam spotted him halfway tucked beneath an old truck. When he hadn’t noticed her approaching by the time she made it to the other side of the garage, Sam squatted down and peeked under the truck. “Whatcha working on?”

Startled by her sudden presence, Daryl thwacked his forehead on the underside of the truck and cursed. Rubbing his head, Daryl slid out from underneath the truck to find Sam kneeling down beside the truck and looking down at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of amusement and pity. “Hey.” He barely got the greeting out before Sam leaned over and kissed his forehead where he’d bumped it and would no doubt have a knot later. Shocked, he looked up at her once she’d pulled away and nodded towards the wide open bay door. “Ain’t exactly what I’d call a private place.”

“Yeah, but you hurt your head because of me. I had to kiss it.” Sam pushed a lock of hair away from his forehead and looked down at Daryl. She knew that their current location was far from private and that any minute someone could walk in, but she hadn’t seen him all week, only managing a handful of late night phone calls before bed, and she missed him something awful. Poking her bottom lip out, she pouted and said, “I’ve missed you.”

Smiling up at Sam with a halfcocked grin, Daryl replied, “Missed you, too.” Gingerly, he got up off the rolling board he’d been laying on to work on the truck and stood up. He held out his hand to Sam and pulled her up from the floor and out of the view that the open bay door provided. Once they were away from whatever prying eyes might be outside, Daryl pulled Sam in to his arms and kissed her eagerly. As it was with every other time she was in his arms, their kiss quickened from innocence to a more heated embrace. Tongues mingled and teeth scrapped against one another as her hands fisted in his hair and his hands slipped beneath the thin material of her shirt to caress the warm skin hidden beneath. Hardened with desire, aching with a need that burned deep inside, Daryl pressed against Sam; pushing her against the workstation full of tools between the open bay doors. 

When the need to breathe broke them apart, Daryl pressed his forehead against Sam’s. “You ain’t nothing but trouble,” he murmured hoarsely, his chest still heaving for a breath as his heart hammered away wildly. “Worth it, but trouble.”

“Like you aren’t?” Sam knew she was being reckless, knew that they should be more careful, but as usual when she was in his arms, she just didn’t care. Anytime she was in his arms, sparks ignited throughout her body and all reason went out the window with reckless abandon; hence the song she’d been working on since the last weekend they’d spent time together. Grinning at Daryl, hating the fact that he stepped away from her, Sam straightened her shirt and said, “We’re playing at Tiny’s tomorrow night. Think you can come?”

Daryl hated to say no to her, especially not when Sam was looking at him with doe eyes, but he had already given his word to make a run with Merle up to Atlanta later that night and there was a possibility that they could pick up another drop tomorrow on the way back. “Promised my brother I’d help him out with work this weekend. I…uh, might be back in time, but I ain’t sure how long it’ll take.”

“Oh,” Sam replied with obvious disappointment. She had thought he wouldn’t make plans with someone else since they normally only got to see one another on the weekends. “We just got the call this morning, it was late notice. It’s okay.” Trying not to take his decline of her invitation personally, Sam pulled her keys out of her pocket and fiddled with them. “I should get going...don’t want to keep you from your work.”

He didn’t want Sam to leave, but he needed to finish up with the truck before heading home and still had a couple hours of work left on it. Feeling like an ass for choosing to run drugs with his brother over spending time with Sam, Daryl tried to smooth over his rejection of joining her the next night by saying, “I’ll hurry...try to get there to see you.”

“I’d like that.” Sam beamed with happiness, momentarily sated with the possibility of seeing Daryl the next time. Crossing the few feet between them so that she could lean in to his body, feel his arms around her as the warmth of him pressed against her, Sam tipped her head up to meet his gaze. Easing up on her tiptoes, she sighed against his lips when they descended upon hers. She didn’t think there would ever be a time when her body wouldn’t come tingle when she was in Daryl’s arms. It was like she was finally truly alive for the first time, when she was in his embrace. Reluctantly, Sam slipped from his arms as Daryl stepped away from her. “I’ll see you tomorrow then…maybe.”

Daryl watched as Sam all but skipped out of the garage to her car and waited until she was out of the parking lot before returning to work. He hoped no one else would come in for work on their car since he needed to fix the truck before leaving and wanted to get on the road as early as possible so he could make a valiant attempt at seeing Sam the next night. Laying back down on the rolling board, Daryl scooted back under the truck and said a silent prayer that the repairs continued smoothly.

After leaving the garage, Sam drove over to the library to read to the kids for a few hours. Even though she’d managed to work a few songs in during her time at the library, she couldn’t find the joy that she normally had when volunteering and chalked it up to the disappointment that she might not get to see Daryl the next night. She was, in all honesty, a little jealous of the brother she’d never met for getting the jump on her and locking in time with Daryl before she could. She knew that her resentment and jealousy was childish and petty, but that didn’t stop Sam from feeling that way. 

Eventually, she finished up with the kids and headed home; opting to spend the evening in instead of going out with Cassie, who was going to a party in a neighboring town. Once inside the empty house, Sam realized she had forgotten that her parents were going to a party at the country club that night. Pouting over the fact that she could have spent the evening with Daryl had she not forgotten about her parent’s being otherwise engaged and gotten to him before his brother had, Sam stomped through the kitchen to the music room; figuring she could at least get some practice in since there was nothing else to do.

At the same time that Sam was sitting down to her piano, Daryl was crawling off his bike at his house. Merle’s bike was parked on the patch of gravel designated to them beside a blue compact car that Daryl didn’t recognize. He headed up the three concrete steps and in to the mobile home, kicking the door shut behind him, and called out to Merle. “Merle? Where you at?”

“What?” Merle bellowed from his bedroom only seconds before the flimsy door was yanked open and he peered out at his brother with an angry look on his face. “You blind or just stupid, baby brother? Didn’t you see the car outside?”

“Course I saw it.” Daryl tossed his helmet and keys on to the table. “You gonna finish up anytime soon? We need to get on the road.” 

“We got all night, damn. Why you in such a hurry?” Merle scratched his bare chest before patting the pockets of the jeans he’d haphazardly pulled on in search of a cigarette. Finding none, he glared at Daryl and waited for an answer.

“Just want to get this shit done.” Daryl mumbled as he unceremoniously flopped down on the couch; realizing his brother wasn’t anywhere near ready to go. “Got something I need to do tomorrow, ain’t got time to be waiting around here.”

“Shit, we ain’t leaving ‘til dark. You know that.” Merle looked at his little brother with annoyance before retreating back in to the darkened bedroom with a slam of the door.

“Fuck.” Daryl muttered, knowing night was still several hours away and there was likely no chance of changing his brother’s mind on their departure time. Shaking his head, disgusted with himself that he’d even said he’d do the damn job, he stuck a cigarette in his mouth and lit it with one hand while picking up the remote to turn on the television with the other. Had he known that just across town Sam was sitting at home alone, Daryl would have scrambled off the couch and barreled down the streets towards her house, but of course, he didn’t know. So, instead, he sat on the couch, smoking and watching a pointless show while he waited on Merle to say it was time to go.


	27. Chapter 27

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

Saturday, June 26th, 1999

Miraculously, Daryl managed to finish up the run early enough to make it to Tiny’s just as the band finished up their first set and were preparing to take a break. Luckily, the second run had been cancelled and he’d had plenty of time to run back to his house, drop off the cash he’d earned and shower before getting on the road. Unfortunately, Daryl hadn’t managed to do all that without Merle tagging along behind him; clearly curious as to what and who his little brother had been so eager to get back to in such a hurry. Handing over enough cash to cover entry for himself and Merle, Daryl eased through the crowded bar and headed towards the booth that he knew the owner reserved specifically for Cassie and Sam.

Sam caught sight of Daryl as he entered the bar, despite the surprising amount of people that were squeezed in to the place that night. Sitting her guitar down by the microphone, she jumped off the stage and made her way through the crowd towards him. Once she was close enough to Daryl, Sam ran over to him with a smile of happiness plastered on her face and all but threw herself in to his arms with a squeal of excitement. Pulling her lips away from his to catch a much needed breath, Sam beamed at Daryl as she enthusiastically exclaimed, “You made it!”

“Well, well, baby brother,” Merle clapped Daryl on the back as he returned to the booth with a couple of beers to find his brother’s attentions otherwise occupied by a young blonde. Taking a moment to make a show of visually appreciating the hot little number in his brother’s arms, Merle leered at Sam and wagged his eyebrows at Daryl to say that he approved. “No wonder you had to get back so quick.”

Seeing the way his brother’s eyes lingered on Sam, Daryl could almost hear the vulgar thoughts that were no doubt running through Merle’s head as he leered at her. Glaring over Sam’s head as she slipped from his hold, Daryl wanted to tell Merle to shut up and quit ogling Sam, but he kept his mouth shut, as he always did when it came to the things his older brother did or said.

Now that her feet were back on the ground, Sam turned away from Daryl to greet his brother; feeling a little more than uncomfortable with the looks she was receiving from the elder Dixon sibling. Even in the dim light of the bar, she could tell that he was a great deal older than Daryl and had definitely not been blessed with the same good looks that his younger brother had. Trying to dispel the feelings of unease she had in regards to Merle Dixon, Sam let her manners take over and offered him her hand as she introduced herself, feeling mildly creeped out by the feel of his moist, warm palm when he accepted the handshake. “Hey there, I’m Sam. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“Hell, no wonder Daryl’s kept you secret. Damned if I wouldn’t want to keep you all to myself, too.” Merle shook Sam’s hand and let the handshake linger longer than he probably should. Holding on to her hand, Merle looked over to Daryl, who was standing by silently glaring back at him. Making a guttural sound of appreciation, Merle said, “You done good with this one, brother. Wouldn’t mind a hot little number like this one…hell, when you’re done with her just pass her on over…show her all about a real man?”

Sam pulled her hand away from Merle’s grasp, feeling like a bug under a microscope as he glared at her lecherously. Looking over to Daryl, who was doing nothing to control his brother’s creepy behavior, Sam took a step away from the brothers as a wave of embarrassment rolled over her as she realized that not only had Daryl not mentioned her to his brother, but that he wasn’t going to do anything to defend her honor. “Ok, well, nice to meet you…I’ve got to um, go to the restroom.”

Daryl watched helplessly as Sam fled the scene of her awkward first encounter with Merle and felt like an utter piece of shit for letting his brother talk to her the way he did. Torn between wanting to rush after her to apologize and not wanting his big brother to mock him for being pussy-whipped, Daryl faltered and stood rooted in place. Under the watchful gaze of his big brother, the cold stare full of curiosity and criticism that resembled the one ever present in their father’s gaze, Daryl felt his shoulders drop as he gave in to Merle’s intense glare and slid in to the booth across from him. Daryl reached out and grabbed one of the bottles in the middle of the table and tipped it back to take a long pull of the cold beer. Out of the corner of his eye, Daryl caught sight of Cassie glaring at him as she pushed her way through the crowed towards the bathroom where Sam had ran to escape him and his brother.

Hidden behind the safety of the women’s bathroom door, Sam leaned against the tiled wall and tried to not cry; not wanting to let the whole situation make her an emotional wreck. With her eyes closed, she was in the middle of another set of calming breaths when the metal door clanged noisily against the wall letting her know that someone had just entered the dank bathroom. Cracking one eye, she was relieved to find it was Cassie coming to check on her.

“I don’t know what happened, but I saw you hightail it in here. You okay? What’s going on?” Cassie closed the bathroom door and turned the lock so that no one could come in behind her, which would undoubtedly piss off at least one bar patron while they were in there, if not more.

“His brother, Merle, is here and he’s a total creeper…like icky, ugh…made my skin crawl.” Sam shivered as she recalled the feel of his sweaty hand in hers. “Made some pretty skeezy comments about me and him after Daryl’s done with me and Daryl didn’t even say anything to him about it. Nothing at all!”

“Ok, that’s just uncalled for…and gross.” Cassie sat on the counter beside Sam and thought about what she’d just been told. “Maybe he was just joking? You don’t know him, maybe he’s got a really fucked up sense of humor…and that’s why Daryl didn’t say anything?”

“I guess, but surely he could tell I was uncomfortable and told Merle to lay off.” Sam pushed off the wall she was leaning against and stepped around where Cassie was sitting to wash her hands; needing to literally get the feel of Merle off her skin. “And, he didn’t know me. Daryl hadn’t even mentioned me to him.”

“Well, to be fair, your brothers don’t know about Daryl either.” Cassie pointed out, sounding a lot more reasonable than she normally did. “I’d be a little more worried about the skeeze factor and less that Daryl didn’t tell his creeper brother about his very young girlfriend.”

“Point taken.” Sam dried off her hands and pushed the paper towel in to the garbage. “Fine. You’re right. Maybe I over reacted, but I’m blaming it on Merle because he was being gross.”

“I can still go out and give Daryl a thorough kick to the shin if you want me to.” Cassie offered as she slid off the counter and checked her lipstick in the mirror.

“We’ll hold off on the kicking of Daryl’s shin, but hang on to that thought in regards to Merle.” Sam replied sourly, holding the door open for Cassie as they both exited the bathroom to a hallway full of displeased women. Offering up an apologetic smile, Sam slipped past the gaggle of females and followed Cassie in to the throng of bar patrons once again.

His gaze had been glued to the closed bathroom door as he waited for Sam and Cassie to come back out in to the bar. Finally, after what seemed like hours had passed, the door opened and they eased past the pile of women that had gathered during the band’s break and headed towards him and Merle. Realizing that Merle hadn’t noticed Sam approaching, Daryl tipped back his beer and finished it off so he could use it as an excuse to go to the bar and intercept Sam on his way. Sliding out of the booth, Daryl pushed his way through the crowd until she was within his reach. Unfortunately, just as he reached out to grab her hand someone else stepped in between them; pushing him against Cassie, whose expression was only slightly less panicked than Sam’s.

“Tyler!” Sam exclaimed with wide eyes as her brother’s hand slipped around her arm and stepped between her and Daryl. Looking up at her brother, who looked less than pleased to see her, Sam allowed him to pull her towards the entrance with barely a glance back at Daryl. Once they were outside where they could actually hear one another over the beat of the dance music that was filling the air during the band’s break, Sam meekly offered Tyler a smile and hoped it would ease the situation. “Hi!”

“Don’t ‘hi’ me. What the hell are you doing in a bar, Sam?” Tyler demanded as he crossed his arms menacingly across his chest. “You’re the last damn person I expected to find here.”

“Seriously, don’t be mad, please! I’m just here to sing, I swear. See? Smell my breath.” Sam blew a deep breath upwards to prove her point and grimaced when Tyler just pinned her with a steely glare. “Tyler, please don’t tell mom and dad. I swear, I’m just playing with this band from school. I don’t ever ask you for anything, Tyler. Please, just this once, can we keep this between you and me? Pretty please?”

Tyler felt the anger deflate a little bit as his baby sister pleaded with him to stay silent. Sighing, he narrowed his eyes at her and said, “Fine. But, I’m staying ‘til you’re done. Then you leave.”

“Thank you!” Sam exclaimed brightly as she flung herself against her brother to give him a bear hug of sincerity. “I promise, once we finish it’s straight to Cassie’s. You’re the best!”

Escorting Sam back in to the bar, Tyler kept one hand on her arm and his eyes peeled for her so-called best friend who was no doubt to blame for him finding his little sister in such a dwelling. Locating her in a booth with two men, both of which looked about perfect for the likes of Cassie Delaney, Tyler glared at both of them with barely contained disgust before turning to face Sam’s best friend. “The minute she’s done ya’ll go home.” When Cassie opened her mouth, the red tinted pouty lips that he tried not to stare directly at, Tyler growled, “I mean it, Cassie. You got one hour from leaving here to get to your house or I’m calling Bo.”

“Fine.” Cassie sighed in annoyance at Tyler Collins, infuriated that he refused to treat Sam as anything but a little girl and disgusted with herself for even being attracted to him. Holding her hands up in surrender, she glared at him until he turned away from them and headed back towards the bar to where his date was perched on a stool staring at them. “Ugh, he’s such an ass.”

“Yeah, but he swears he won’t tell our parents, so I can’t be too mad.” Sam stood next to the table, not bothering to join them in the booth since the break was nearly over. Looking over at Daryl, she smiled and tried to convey her apology at overreacting to the situation with Merle earlier. “Um, break’s over…so, I, um...I’ve got to get back to it.”

“She gonna be alright? Should I go?” Daryl asked curiously, leaning in to speak as softly as possible in to Cassie’s ear so that Merle wouldn’t hear. His eyes met those of Tyler Collins, who glared at them around his date and Daryl dropped his eyes to avoid the stare.

“Yeah, Tyler’s an ass, but for the most part Sam’s got her all of brother’s wrapped her finger. Just pretend you’re with me and it’ll be all good.” Cassie replied as she shot an annoyed look over to where Tyler was glowering at her.

Sam jumped back up on stage and slipped the guitar strap around her shoulder. Looking over at the guys, she asked, “Ya’ll mind if we try that new song? I know I only threw it at you this week, but I’d like to practice it for next weekend.” After receiving the go ahead from the three guys behind her, Sam turned to the microphone and said, “Hey, ya’ll, thanks for being patient with the longer than usual break. Um, we’re going to try a new song…like really new as I only wrote it the other night. So, hopefully we won’t screw it up too bad.”

Nodding along to the music coming from behind her, Sam started playing when it was her turn and stepped up to the microphone. Taking a calming breath, she started singing the lyrics that she’d only put down on paper a handful of days ago. “The way you move is like a full on rainstorm…And I’m a house of cards…You’re the kind of reckless that should send me running…But I kinda know that I won’t get far…” Sam’s eyes searched for his before going in to the next part of the song. Singing to Daryl and Daryl alone, she sang, “And you stood there in front of me just...close enough to touch…close enough to hope you couldn’t see…what I was thinking of…”

Daryl couldn’t take his eyes off of Sam as she focused her attention directly on him and he just knew that her brother could tell that she was singing just for him. “Drop everything now…meet me in the pouring rain…kiss me on the sidewalk…take away the pain…’cause I see, sparks fly, whenever you smile.” He couldn’t help but grin back at Sam when she flashed that bright smile in his direction. “Get me with those blue eyes, baby…As the lights go down…Gimme something that’ll haunt me when you’re not around…’Cause I see, sparks fly, whenever you smile.”

“My mind forgets to remind me, you’re a bad idea…you touch me once and it’s really something…” Sam tapped her foot along with the rhythm of the song and kept her eyes locked with Daryl’s. “You find I’m even better than you imagined I would be…I’m on my guard for the rest of the world…but with you I know it’s no good…And I could wait patiently…but I really wish you would.” As she finished up the last line, remembering the way she felt when she scribbled those words down and put them to music, and felt a deep blush tinge her cheeks as she wondered if Daryl knew what she was referring to. Running through the chorus once more, she took a breath before belting out the next segment. “I run my fingers through your hair…and watch the lights go wild…just keep on keeping your eyes on me…Its just wrong enough to make it feel right…and lead me up the staircase…won’t you whisper soft and slow…and I’m captivated by you baby…like a fireworks show…” Finishing up the song with a quick run through of the chorus once more, Sam beamed with pride when the crowd erupted with applause when she stopped singing. That, right there, was one of the best feelings in the world and the reason she put herself out there to be judged.

Cassie was glad that Merle had excused himself to the bar during the song, especially when she realized that Sam had clearly written the song for Daryl…and then proceeded to sing it directly to him even though her brother was glaring at her from the other side of the darkened room. “Well then,” she started as she lit a cigarette. Taking one look out of the corner of her eye, realizing that Daryl wasn’t paying her the slightest bit of attention and was instead focusing on only Sam, Cassie shrugged her shoulder and kept the thoughts that were on the tip of her tongue to herself. Letting her gaze go from Daryl to Sam, seeing the expressions on their faces, she could only think that their night might go a lot differently than it was going to now that Tyler had shown up. Had Sam’s brother not been there to make demands on who his little sister left with and where she went, Cassie had a feeling that Sam’s virginity would have been a thing of the past by the next morning.

 

**Song Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift** (Eye color changed in lyrics because Daryl’s aren’t green)


	28. Chapter 28

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

The present: Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

 

By Wednesday evening at dinner, Sam had had enough of Jacey’s questions in regards to where Daryl was since they hadn’t seen him since he’d taken her to school Tuesday morning. While he wasn’t one to make much of an appearance at the community meals, it was a little odd that he hadn’t been by to see Jacey that day since he’d done so every day since showing back up in Collins. With her plate in hand, Sam wove her way through the crowd and tables in the auditorium to where the members of the new group were just sitting down to eat dinner. Likely looking as awkward as she felt, Sam stopped at the edge of their table and asked, “Hey, I hate to bother ya’ll, but has anyone seen Daryl today? Jacey had hoped to eat dinner with him.”

“Um, no, I don’t think we have,” Rick replied, after a quick scan around the table to confirm that the other members of the group to see if anyone else had seen him. Seeing the look on Jacey’s face as she peered around at them from behind Sam’s legs, he explained, “That’s not unusual though. Daryl has a tendency to stay gone for a while if he’s hunting…one time he was gone nearly four days. Shouldn’t be any reason to worry, I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”

Sam briefly thought to herself that Daryl clearly hadn’t changed as much as he claimed if he was still disappearing for days at a time without letting anyone know where he was going, but kept that information to herself. Instead of voicing her opinion on the matter, Sam politely smiled and thanked Rick and turned to Jacey, “See? He’s just hunting. I’m sure he’ll be back soon, kiddo.” Excusing herself, Sam motioned for Jacey to head towards the large table where some of their family was just sitting down to eat dinner and followed in her wake.

Once Sam and Jacey were out of earshot, Carol looked over at Rick with a worried expression and said, “Rick, Daryl was…well, upset yesterday when I saw him after he got back from hunting.”

“It’s Daryl. You know how he is.” Glenn chimed in with a shrug, his fork halfway to his mouth with a load of mashed potatoes. Glancing at Rick, he said, “He’s just off...you know, being Daryl.”

“No, yesterday…it was different.” Carol shook her head at Glenn’s comment. “We talked...or rather, I talked…about Beth. He, I don’t know…it just felt different. I really can’t explain it, Rick, but I’m kind of worried. I thought he’d be back by now.”

“Ok, well, it is Daryl. We know he can take care of himself.” Rick put down his fork and leaned back in his chair to contemplate the situation for a moment. He couldn’t escape the worried look in Carol’s eyes and decided that checking up on Daryl, seeing if he could find him, wouldn’t be the worst idea. “When and where did you last see him, Carol?”

“Just out back, where they drop off animals to be cleaned. I left him standing out by the back door. When I got back to the kitchen I saw him walking towards the woods, over there,” Carol pointed towards the east side of the building. “I’ll go with you, see if we can find him.”

“That’s alright, Carol.” Rick motioned for her to sit back down as he stood up. If Daryl was off dealing with his emotions regarding Beth’s death, then the last thing he’d want was an audience if he was located, even if it was Carol. “I’m going to ask Sam what’s over that way and check it out.”

“Sam, could I talk to you for a moment?” Rick asked when he was at the table where Sam was sitting, adding in a low tone that he’d like to speak with her in private. When they’d walked over to the corner of the room, away from the prying ears of her family, most importantly the child who was worried about her brother, he continued, “I’ve been told Daryl was upset yesterday afternoon. I’d like to try and locate him tonight, if possible. Carol last saw him out back, said he headed towards the east side of town in to the woods, but that’s the last time anyone’s seen him. Just wondering if there’s any place you can think of he might’ve went? His old home or something?”

“Didn’t you just say he was fine not five minutes ago? That he was just somewhere hunting?” Sam narrowed her eyes as she questioned Rick and had caused his sudden change of heart. She tried to recall if he’d seemed upset when he had escorted Jacey to class and couldn’t come up with any signals he’d given off, but then again, Daryl had always been better than most people at hiding his feelings. “What changed your mind so quickly?”

“That was before Carol told me she’d not only seen him return from hunting yesterday, but that he was troubled after their talk.” Rick explained, pausing to consider if he needed to get in to the reasons behind what caused Daryl to become upset. When Sam just stood there, not offering up help, just cocking one eyebrow at him expectantly, Rick went ahead and told her. “He’s having a hard time with Beth’s death. They were…well, they were close.”

“Daryl and Beth? Little Beth Greene?” Sam tried to wrap her mind around Daryl and the child she remembered being close, but then had to remind herself that Beth would have had to be at least eighteen since it had been a good seven years or so since she’d met her. Biting back a sarcastic comment about Daryl still having an affection for eighteen year old blondes, Sam tried not to focus on the jealousy over the images that flashed through her mind of the two of them together. It’s not like she expected Daryl to not have a relationship with someone else, heck, it wasn’t like he’d not proven his willingness to move on from her a long time ago, but still…apparently there was a little green eyed monster lurking inside Sam still in regards to her ex-husband.

“A few months back our home was overrun, our group got split up and Beth ended up with Daryl. They were on their own for a while, just the two of them, then Beth was kidnapped one night…long story, but Daryl wasn’t able to find her until a couple of weeks ago.” Rick explained hastily, after seeing the look in Sam’s eyes at the thought of Daryl and Beth being romantically involved. Not that he could attest to there not being anything of that level between them, and not that he actually wanted to know, but Rick at least knew that Daryl cared about Beth dearly and her death had wounded him a great deal. “Things went wrong when we tried to rescue her, Beth ended up getting shot by one of her captors. Daryl blames himself. He hasn’t come right and told me as such, but I can tell he’s put the blame solely on his shoulders.”

“Ok then. Makes sense, him blaming himself…Daryl always had a way of carrying the world on his shoulders. Not that he’d ever admit it to anyone.” Sam paused and nibbled on her bottom lip the way she tended to do when she was nervous or in deep concentration. “Well, uh…it’s been a long time since I’ve tried to suss out what Daryl would or wouldn’t do, but if I had to take a guess…he wouldn’t be our at old place…that’s in the opposite direction. His and Merle’s place is long gone, so not there. Um, you said he went east? That way?” Sam pointed towards the right side of the building and scrunched her brow as though she was considering the options. When Rick motioned a further back, an idea clicked in Sam’s brain about a place she was known to visit, but definitely not somewhere Daryl would have been in years. Nodding her head slowly, Sam said, “I’ve got an idea. Um, how about I go check it out and let you know?” Seeing the look in Rick’s eye, one that clearly stated he intended on going with her, Scout relented and said, “Ok, how about you come with me, but hang back when we get there?”

After Sam arranged for Jacey to return go home for the night with Bo’s family, Sam and Rick headed out the same door that Carol had left Daryl at the day before and started across the field by the municipal building headed towards the tree line that he’d been seen disappearing in to; mostly comprised of various trees in the midst of their winter death, but the pine trees scattered throughout offered a pop of vibrant evergreen color between the dreary brown and gray setting. 

“You going to tell me where we’re going?” Rick asked with a smile that could barely be seen beneath the unruliness that was his beard, even with the full moon blaring down on them as they began their trek across the field.

“Daryl never mentioned me, right? You had no clue he was married?” Sam asked, confirming what she’d heard from her father. When Rick nodded and said that Daryl rarely talked about himself or his past, Sam said, “Then I don’t think it’s my place to tell you where we’re going and why I think he’s there, if he’s hell-bent on keeping that part of his past a secret from you.”

“Fair enough.” Rick wasn’t surprised that Sam didn’t key him in on their destination as he’d already realized she was as tight lipped about Daryl as he was about her. “Daryl’s not much for talking, that’s for sure. Heck, I doubt we’d have known he even had a brother if I hadn’t to deal with him.” Met being the operative word, more like restrained and left for dead at first and eventually had to live with, but there was no sense in getting that deep in to the past.

“So, you know Merle?” Sam cut her eyes over to Rick as her stomach lurched at just the mention of Daryl’s older brother. After nearly getting thwacked in the face with a low-lying branch, Sam stopped walking and turned to face Rick. “Is he still around? Merle?”

“I was unfortunate enough to know him, but no, Merle died…got turned a while back. Daryl was the one that had to put him down.” Rick pushed aside the branches blocking their pathway, held them aside so Sam could pass through and then followed behind her.

“Can’t say I’m sorry to hear he’s gone. That man was absolutely horrible. Daryl was just the worst version of himself whenever he was with Merle. But, I hate Daryl had to do that. No matter how shitty Merle was to him, he loved his brother.” Sam shone the flashlight she’d grabbed from the supply closet before leaving the building over the ground so she could step over a fallen log and then did a quick sweep across the area in front of them. “It’s easier to use the roads, but this way is shorter. There’s a small clearing up ahead and where I think he might be is on the other side of the fence past it.”

Rick followed Sam through the narrow, slightly overgrown pathway for about another fifty yards until the trees gave way to a clearing no larger than a football field. After they crossed the field, the dead grass was crunchy beneath their shoes, and came up to a rickety wooden fence that appeared to be missing at least half its rungs, Sam crawled over the top rail and motioned for him to stop. “You’re not afraid of the dark, are you? I can leave the flashlight if you want.”

“I’m fine.” He replied with a chuckle. Rick tipped his head up towards the sky where the full moon was shining bright above them. “There’s enough moonlight tonight.” Dropping his gaze back to Sam, he asked, “You sure you want to go on alone? Looks like a good bit of woods ahead.”

“It’s just a few trees, looks worse than it is.” Sam turned and focused the beam of light on the ground, noticing that the path was even more grown up with snaking branches that lacked foliage and an overgrowth of brown weeds that refused to give up their battle for control than she recalled, and realized it had been longer than she thought since she’d come this way. Feeling Rick’s hand on her shoulder, Sam glanced back over her shoulder at him.

“Can I at least know what you’re going in to? Neighborhood? Factory? What can I expect if you need me?” Rick stared nervously towards the ominous darkness the trees in front of Sam gave off.

“It’s a graveyard.” Sam finally replied; her voice tinged with more sadness than she had wanted. Stepping away from Rick, letting his hand slide off her shoulder, Sam disappeared in to the thicket of trees and out of his sight.

She hadn’t been exaggerating when she had said the tree line wasn’t as bad as it appeared. In fact, within a good twenty yards the over grown brush and low lying branches tapered off and gave way to a graveyard that had once been well manicured and boasted rows and rows of tombstones adorned with multicolored flowers. Nowadays, however, the grass was crunchy beneath her feet and brown from the cold winter months and weeds grew around the base of the headstones that held grungy, dirt stained and sun bleached decorations or nothing at all…as if a graveyards needed to be any more depressing than they already were. Gingerly, she navigated her way to where she thought Daryl might be located.

“What’re you doing here?”

Sam heard Daryl ask from the darkness provided by a nearby towering oak tree. His voice sounded as coarse as usual, but gruff and thicker than normal with emotion. She knew that tone well, she just hadn’t heard it in a long time. Seeing the ember tip of a cigarette glow in the shadows, she crossed the distance between them to stand near where he was leaned against the trunk of the tree. “Your group’s worried about you. I had one guess up my sleeve about where you were, so…here I am. Rick’s over by the fence, figured since you hadn’t told him you were married you hadn’t mentioned this either.”

“Ain’t none of their damned business.” Daryl muttered before taking a long drag off the lone cigarette he’d found in a nearby unoccupied house. It was old and stale as hell, but it served its purpose. He’d spent the better part of the previous night wandering aimlessly through the woods to avoid human contact, before snagging a couple hours of sleep on the floor of a house whose elderly owners he vaguely recalled as being fairly nice to him at the shop back when he used to live in Collins. Eventually, his feet lead him to a place he’d been avoiding for years. “You come out here much?”

“Not as much as I should.” Sam replied honestly as she stepped away from Daryl to wipe off the dirt and grime that had accumulated on the curved headstone in front of them; wiping her soiled hand on her pants leg. Something crunched under her foot and she looked down to find the dried bunch of flowers she’d brought the last time she had visited and realized it had been longer than she remembered. Turning away from the headstone, blocking out the pain that gnawed at her heart, Sam murmured, “I’ll let Rick know you’re ok.”

“Still can’t talk about it can you? About her?” Daryl mentally cursed himself for even bringing up the painful topic, the heartbreak that had been the beginning of the end of their marriage. Crushing out his cigarette on the base of the tree, he stood up to face Sam, knowing there was no turning back now that he’d brought it up.

“I don’t need to talk about it, Daryl. I experienced it and that was hard enough.” Sam said matter-of-factly as she stepped backwards, as though she was trying to escape Daryl and the tombstone that was now between them. “You’d think you, of all people, would understand that.”

“She was my daughter, too, Sam.” Daryl murmured, his voice catching on the words as he choked on his heartache.

“I’m aware of that, Daryl, but what good is talking going to do? Huh? All it does it keep everything just right there…right fucking there so that all you can do is think about it constantly.” Sam pushed back everything that was threatening to spill over, all the feelings she’d kept locked up tightly over the years, all the hurt and all the pain that had filled her heart for so long. “Talking doesn’t change the fact that she died. Talking doesn’t fix anything.”

“You ever think I wanted to talk about it?” Daryl took a step forward, attempting to lessen the distance between them; his anger flickering when Sam moved further away from him with each step he took towards her. “D’you fucking think about what I needed?” He glared at Sam in the pale moonlight and watched helplessly as she shut down on him like she’d done so many years ago; blocking off her emotions, turning off the feelings that had to tear her up inside because his heart was still broken even after all these years.

Sam felt her chest tighten, her heart beat quicken and a wave of dizziness sweep over her as beads of sweat dotted her brow. Panic filled her, rising slowly and threatening to take her over completely. ‘Not now’, Sam pleaded with herself, mentally willing the anxiety attack that was building inside to disappear. Closing her eyes, taking a slow deep breath, Sam kept quiet until the dull roar in her head started to dissipate. Her body shook as she clenched her hands together at her sides, feeling the sharp pinch of her nails as they dug in to the soft skin of her palm, Sam mentally walked herself away from the edge of anxiety and forced herself back in to the harsh reality that was her life.

“Of course I thought about what you needed. I gave it a lot more thought than you managed to do for me.” Sam replied coldly, pushing away the anxiety that still threatened to tear her apart and the heart ache that ripped at her soul. Turning her back to Daryl, Sam put one step in front of the other, desperately needing to put as much space as possible between her and Daryl.

Daryl stood rooted in place; his feet refusing to do as his heart demanded, denying him the ability to move so he could run after Sam. He watched, helpless, as Sam disappeared in to the woods and was swallowed up in the darkness that lay just beyond the cemetery. Tears rolled down his cheeks, spilled from his eyes to fall on to the hallowed ground below, as his heart broke once more. He wondered if there would ever come a time when his heart was so broken it couldn’t be hurt anymore and wished if it were possible, that that time would hurry up because he couldn’t stand the pain anymore.

He had no clue how long he stood there, the tears on his face had long since dried on his cheeks. Daryl’s head was dipped down, his eyes staring blankly at the headstone that marked the place where his baby girl had been laid to rest. Lost in thought, lost in the pain that tore at his heart, he missed the sounds of someone coming up beside him…or maybe he just didn’t care anymore, maybe he wasn’t concerned with the dangers that lay around him in the shadows of the night. When he felt a hand on his shoulder, Daryl didn’t respond, didn’t turn his head, didn’t acknowledge the figure beside him. Instead, he kept his head down, his eyes never straying from the marbled block of stone near his feet.

Rick stood beside Daryl. Quietly, he read the inscription on the tombstone in the ghostly pale glow of the moonlight and kept his hand on the shoulder of his brother, offering comfort as the gravity of the situation hit his heart, when he realized that there was only one date on the inscription.

_Emily Cassandra Dixon_

_January 16th, 2000_

_Gone too soon from our lives_

_But always in our hearts_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos and review!


	29. Chapter 29

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

The Past: Sunday, June 27th, 1999

For the first time since meeting Daryl, Sam woke up on a Sunday morning feeling refreshed after a relatively decent amount of sleep. That didn't mean, however, that she preferred it that way. As soon as the last set had been sung, Tyler had all but snatched Sam from the stage and hauled her outside without being able to give Daryl so much as a simple goodbye. Her brother had stuffed Sam and her guitar into Cassie's car and followed them back to Collins, much to the dismay of his date. Once they'd made it to Cassie's house under the watchful eye of Tyler, who sat in the driveway until after they'd disappeared in to the house, Sam had tried to call Daryl to apologize for the disastrous events of the evening, but hadn't gotten an answer. Not wanting to leave her apology on his answering machine, Sam had simply stated that she and Cassie had made it home safely and that she would talk to him later.

Having actually overslept, Sam was glad she'd had the forethought to wash her hair before going to bed so she didn't have to deal with blow drying the long, thick tresses that were known to take a solid half hour to dry. Instead, while Cassie ran through the shower, all she had to do was throw a couple of hot rollers in while she got dressed. She was slipping her feet in to a pair of white flats when Cassie came out of the shower, wrapped in towels and clearly annoyed. "Still peeved about last night?" Sam asked curiously, honestly wondering why her best friend was upset about the events of the previous evening when it had been she who was embarrassed and manhandled.

"Your brother is just...ugh," Cassie popped out of the closet long enough to grit her teeth and stomp her foot with frustration. "He's just a grade A-asshat, Sam. I really just wanted to smack him last night. I mean, it's not like you've ever given them an iota of a reason to not trust you."

"Well, I have, actually. Being in the bar when I was supposed to be at a wedding, dating Daryl behind their backs..." Sam looked at Cassie out of the corner of her eye while putting in her earrings. Shrugging, she continued, "He was just being protective. It could have went way worse, you know...like, he could have caught me actually with Daryl. Could you even imagine the look on my brother's face if he'd found me tangled up with my tongue down Daryl's throat?"

Cassie rolled her eyes as she considered what Sam was saying. She was well aware what Tyler and the rest of the Collins family would think if and or when they found out about Sam's new beau. Cassie was more than familiar with the judgmental eye that could be cast from the influential family when their precious Samantha dared to be involved with someone they deemed not fit for her. Stepping out of the closet with a tame enough dress for church, she replied with a serious tone, "Yeah, I can imagine the look on his face. It'd be the same one I get from your whole family."

"Cass, you know they love you." Sam's shoulders dropped nearly as far as her heart did at the look on her best friends face. Sure, it had taken a while to get her family, most importantly her parents, to accept that the locally known wild child was their daughter's best friend, but that didn't mean they didn't like her now. However, Sam could still recall many of arguments in high school with her parents anytime they had heard something about Cassie through the grapevine that hadn't been deemed appropriate in their eyes.

"I don't know if you could use the word love," Cassie scoffed and slipped the heather gray sleeveless dress over her head and smoothed out the cabbage rose covered material down in the mirror, checking yet again to see if it was appropriate for church. With her well-endowed chest and voluptuous curves, sometimes even the most innocuous outfit had a tendency to look less than tame. Making a mental note to grab the white lightweight short sleeved sweater out of the closet before leaving, just in case more than one judgmental eye fell upon her cleavage, Cassie leaned over and shook out her long black hair, realized she didn't have enough time to dry it and quickly started to comb through her thick black locks while looking at Sam in the floor length mirror. "More like they tolerate me so that you're happy...which works in my favor."

"See? They came around eventually." Sam retorted as she turned back to the vanity and started removing the curlers from her hair. With a grim expression her face, she mused, "Wonder how many asinine discussions it will take to get them to accept Daryl?"

"Do you even need to worry about that? I mean, it is supposed to be a summer fling. You do know the meaning of fling, don't you?" Cassie twisted her towel dried hair in to a low bun before stepping away from the mirror to step in to a pair of black heeled sandals. "A summer fling is supposed to be flung before school starts back in what? A month and a half?"

"I know what it means, Cass. Geez." Sam swiped a layer of pale pink gloss on to her lips and declared herself ready to go. A glance at the clock proved her suspicions about how late they were, but if they were on the road in a few minutes and definitely skipped their usual Sunday breakfast, then they could make it just as the doors to bible study were closing. Standing up, she smoothed down the silky material of her flower print skirt and said, "And, I'm going to fling. Things will be flung...at some point."

"Uh huh...I know that look on your face. It's the same one you had when you found that stray cat and your dad said you couldn't keep it because Tyler was allergic." Cassie grabbed her purse and followed Sam out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind them. "You're already in love with him and incapable of the fling."

"I'm not in love with him." Sam argued halfheartedly. Of course, she had never been in love, so she couldn't say for sure, but it had been less than a month since their first kiss and people didn't fall in love that quickly, right? Love at first sight was only in the movies and fairytales. "Serious like, but not love."

"You don't have to lie to be my best friend." Cassie replied sarcastically as they stepped out in to the early morning sun, the day already humid despite only just beginning. Cassie was glad she hadn't bothered taking the time to fix her hair as the natural curls would have just returned in the moist June air. Once in the car, Cassie turned to Sam and waggled her eyebrows suggestively as Sam backed out of the driveway. "So, tell me about this plan to have Daryl fling you."

"There's no plans." Sam blushed profusely as she shifted in to drive and headed towards church. Despite knowing intimate details in regards to the majority of Cassie's conquests, she was a little uncomfortable discussing the feelings...the urges...she felt about Daryl. But, knowing that her best friend was more than equipped to offer advice in the sexual department, Sam pushed aside her reservations and said, "I've just sorta been thinking about...having sex...you know, with Daryl."

"Hot damn! It's about time you got serious about losing that V card of yours." Cassie clapped her hands together and smiled. Seeing the look on Sam's face, she added, "Hey, I get it...you're nervous. That's normal. The first time is...not that great." She waved her hand back and forth in a so-so manner and shrugged. "But after that...it's all very good. Well, okay, not all, but if the guy knows what he's doing...and Daryl looks like he would, you'll be having curled toes daily until fall semester starts up."

And that was what plagued her the most as Sam pulled in to the church parking lot. Fall semester. She'd never even had sex before, certainly had never liked someone as much as she did Daryl, so what made her think she could do both of those and then just walk away as though it never happened? With a dark cloud over her head, Sam crawled out of the Camaro and locked the doors before following Cassie up the sidewalk to bible study. Deciding to let her worried thoughts subside, figuring that church wasn't the place to be contemplating how she was going to handle having pre-marital sex with someone she planned on leaving once school started, Sam sat down in her usual seat in the classroom where bible study was held and tried to focus her attentions elsewhere for the time being.

After church, Sam ended up dropping Cassie at home, with a headache, instead of them both going to the Collins residence for lunch and swimming before night services. By the time she got home, lunch was already being served so she slid in to her chair between Tyler and their father. As usual, her mother had prepared enough food to feed a small army, which could technically describe her family when they were all together. Sunday lunch brought out every member of the Collins family, all fourteen of them around the dining room table that was luckily big enough, and then some, to accommodate them all if the kids were put at the table in the kitchen. Looking around the table after her father said the prayer, Sam scanned the faces of her family and wondered if Daryl could ever fit in with them. Could a simple high school educated mechanic ever feel comfortable and welcome with the mayor and his wife? With the police lieutenant and his wife, who was a registered nurse in the labor and delivery ward...the pharmacist and his pediatrician wife...the attorney and the chemistry teacher the whole family believed would soon be his wife...and the former college football star, who thanks to a knee injury gave up the sport, turned history teacher slash assistant football coach for the local high school? All in all, Sam was the least accomplished person at the table, but she was significantly younger than all of them. In fact, she was closer in age to the kids relegated to the kitchen for lunch.

As the conversation carried on around her and her thoughts, Sam mechanically ate the Sunday meal that was normally her favorite; pot roast, mashed potatoes, sweet peas and carrots, homemade biscuits and chocolate cream pie for dessert. Sam knew that at some point she was going to have to make a decision, figure out if she wanted to take things further with Daryl and if she was able to do so without it being a permanent relationship, because she realized Cassie had been right on the drive home from church. Daryl certainly didn't seem like the type to be satisfied with staying behind while she went off and carried on with her life at school and she didn't think her grades could handle having him tag along after her. Daryl was too damn mesmerizing and her mind definitely could not focus when he was around. She needed to make a decision and soon.

The next two days went by agonizingly slow, mostly because Sam couldn't seem to get hold of Daryl and thus, hadn't seen him since Saturday night at the bar...and she didn't think that one even counted because they'd barely even exchanged words. So, by the time Tuesday night rolled around, her addiction withdrawal was in full swing. She had tried to call him, but got his machine once again, and had even drove past the garage to see if he was at work; his bike had been in the lot, but the wrecker was gone and the bay door was down, so she hadn't bothered stopping. Itching for her Daryl fix, so potent that not even spending the day doing lap after lap in the pool had exhausted her and now, at ten o'clock at night, she lay wide awake in her bed staring at the glow in the dark stars on her ceiling. Sighing in frustration, Sam slammed a pillow on top of her head and willed herself to sleep. Amazingly, even with the cartoon cat shaped pillow on her head, the faint plink-plink-plink of something rapping against her bedroom window caught her attention. Without turning on the light, she slid from the bed and crossed her room to peer outside. A smile spread across her face as she realized what and who was causing the noise.

Sam raised the window and poked her head outside. "Hey, you." She called out softly, happiness filled her voice and spread across her face as she put her hands on the windowsill to lean out a little further.

"You able to come down?" Daryl called out, his normally gruff voice didn't carry on the wind like hers did. Sam considered his request for about half a second before she agreed. "Gimme just a sec." She watched him slink off to the side of the house, no doubt using the flowering bushes alongside the porch to hide from any prying eyes, as she slid the window shut.

She quickly slithered out of her pajamas, which was basically just an over sized t-shirt she'd pilfered from one of her brothers, and slipped on a pair of blue jean shorts she located on the floor and a tank top. Dipping in to the bathroom, she added a quick swipe of deodorant since she couldn't remember if she'd put any on after the post-swim shower earlier, took care of other bathroom necessities and fluffed her hair a little bit to combat the bed head she'd already gotten after only an hour in bed. Sam grabbed a pair of flip flops from by the door and held them in her hand as she slipped quietly from the bedroom and eased down the stairs. Thankful her parents had not ever gotten a house alarm, Sam snuck out the front door and slid on her flip flops before darting across the yard and in to Daryl's arms.

"Sorry I ain't been around." Daryl apologized as Sam slid back down and put her feet on the ground. He had meant to call her back Monday, not wanting to intrude on the normal Sunday family feast, but had gotten sidetracked moving and by the time he was able to make the call it was after midnight. "You, uh...able to get outta here for a bit?"

"I'm all yours." In fact, since her father was away until Thursday for his annual beach golf trip with old college buddies and her mother had went to bed at an absurdly early hour with a migraine, Sam was more than able to slip away unnoticed. With her hand in his, she followed Daryl through the darkened yard and down the street to where he'd left his motorcycle. Sam waited until he crawled on to the seat before slinging her leg over the bike and sliding in behind him, relishing the feel of him pressed between her thighs. On the bike, with his dark pants and plain white shirt, Sam thought Daryl had the look of a more dangerous version of James Dean; rugged, rough and a hell of a lot sexier, for sure.

Once both their helmets were in place and Sam's arms were wrapped around his waist tightly, Daryl turned the key and brought the motorcycle to life with a loud roar. Out of habit, he checked both ways down the empty street before giving the bike gas and heading towards the opposite side of town. With Sam holding him tightly, cradling him with her thighs, her small breasts pressed against his back and her chin tucked against his shoulder blade, Daryl navigated through the ghost town like streets of Collins until he slowed down to turn in to the softly lit neighborhood lined with modest single story homes from the fifties that had been renovated to provide rental housing for starter families, bachelor, and sometimes, but rarely, bachelorette pads.

Daryl pulled in to the darkened carport of a light gray brick home and killed the engine. He hung his helmet on the handlebar and got off the bike, taking Sam's helmet from her and putting it on the opposite side of his, Daryl reached out and helped her off the motorcycle. Pulling her behind him, Daryl went up the three concrete steps and turned the handle to the side door, opening the door he hadn't bothered to lock since there wasn't anything inside worth stealing yet, and held it open for Sam as she walked inside.

"I finally get to see where you live." Sam held on tightly to Daryl's hand as she walked past Daryl, who was holding the door open for her. He flicked the switch by the door and the kitchen was suddenly flooded with light and with a scrunched face of confusion, Sam took in the nearly empty house with a single sweep of her head. With no kitchen table, nothing on the counter tops, no curtains and only a couch in the living room, she stated, "It's uh...real Spartan-like."

Daryl closed the side door and shoved his hands in his pants pockets as Sam inspected the bare rooms and mentally cringed when he realized he should have waited until he had furniture before bringing her over. His boss had allowed him the use of a spare truck on the lot to move the few things he owned, mostly clothes, some CD's and dishes, since he left all the second hand furniture behind. Heck, at the point all he had in the bedroom was a mattress since the bed was being delivered later in the week. "I…um, just moved in." Glancing down from her gaze, he shrugged and said, "It ain't much, but it's mine."

Sam stepped further in to the house, easing out of the tiled kitchen and on to the shiny hardwood floor in the sparse living room. Sure, so far there was only some appliances and a couch, but it appeared to be newly remodeled and perfectly acceptable in her opinion. She especially liked that he lived here alone, away from the lecherous glares his brother would no doubt give her, and allow them some privacy. With a grin he couldn't see since Daryl was behind her, Sam proclaimed, "I like it."

Those three little words, letting Daryl know that Sam approved of his new home, helped ease the awkward feeling in the pit of his stomach. He so desperately wanted Sam's approval, needed to know that he was good enough for her, more so than anyone else in his life that wasn't related to him by blood. Taking a few steps forward, Daryl crossed the small kitchen until he was standing behind Sam and slid his hands around her narrow waist and pulled her back against him. "This way it's just us." He murmured, his lips so close to her that they brushed against her silken locks. "Don't got to worry 'bout nobody interrupting us, ain't got to hide from no one...ain't got to worry 'bout no one making you uncomfortable."

Sam's heart swelled at his words, the smile on her face grew brighter as she realized that he had not only picked up on her discomfort in regards to his brother, but also disliked that Merle had treated her the way he had and didn't want to put her in that position again. She held on to his hands tightly and cocked her head slightly to the left so that the lips that were peppering feather soft kisses along her neck would have easier access. Her skin tingled in the wake of his lips as Daryl worked his mouth upwards from the neckline of her shirt to the delicate spot just below her earlobe.

Having Sam in his arms again, hearing the delicate whispers of her moans slip from her mouth as he kissed along her neck, let Daryl know he'd made the right decision in bringing her there instead of waiting until he had more to offer her. After the way she had looked at him Saturday night when he'd stood by and said nothing when his brother had lecherously propositioned her, Daryl had thought for sure that his chance with Sam was over. But then, hearing the song she'd written for him, feeling the weight of its meaning as she sang directly to him, coming home to find the sound of her soft voice floating up from his answering machine, he'd decided that if he wanted an actual, honest to goodness, chance with someone like Sam he needed to make some changes in his life.

When it came down to making the final decision to move, it hadn't been an easy choice. Merle was, after all, his blood kin and the only one left in the world since neither one of them even acknowledged themselves as their father's sons anymore, didn't even know if the drunken abusive bastard was even alive at this point. Surely, he'd drank himself to death by now, or crossed paths with someone far meaner than Will Dixon could ever be. Daryl had followed in his brother's footsteps for so long now that he wasn't even sure he could be on his own completely. At nearly ten years younger than his brother, Daryl had often been left in the care of Merle when their parents were too drunk to care for their children; even more so when their mother had died and left them alone with their asshole father. Unfortunately, as they grew older, it had become apparent to Daryl that Merle had inherited more than just their father's predilection for alcohol and drugs, but his temperament, too. Whereas, Daryl, who was often scorned by his brother for being too softhearted, had taken more after their mother in behavior and appearance, with the exception of his eyes...they were all Will Dixon.

But, when Merle had spoken to Sam the way he did with other women, the common street trash and bar whores he had a taste for, Daryl had seen red with anger. How dare Merle spew such lascivious, disgusting words to someone as perfect and sweet at his Sam? And, that's what she was...his Sam. Daryl knew that now. Sadly at that moment, a brief segment in time that he'd regret for ages to come, he hadn't been able to stand up to his brother. Daryl had never been able to contradict Merle, never been able to stand up to his older brother, and thus, he'd allowed his allegiance to his kin outweigh his feelings for Sam.

With his lips on the soft nub of Sam's earlobe, Daryl whispered his apology, "Sorry I let Merle treat you that way." He felt Sam's release on his hands fall away and for a moment Daryl thought she was going to leave him, that ever present demon that was stuck in his head when it came to believing that anyone would ever truly want him...love him. Thankfully, that seed of doubt was pushed aside as his worry flew out the window when she turned around and fell back in to his arms.

Facing him now, Sam slid her hands up Daryl's chest and up past his shoulders; her fingers sliding in to the thick dark hair. She eased up on her toes and pressed a soft kiss of apology on his lips. "And, I'm sorry for overreacting."

"Ain't none of that your fault." Daryl shook his head slightly from side to side to disagree with her apology. "Merle ain’t nothing but an asshole, always has been. I'm one, too, for letting him say that shit to you."

"Oh, he's an ass, alright...but, you aren't." Sam eased her hands around to rest on his cheeks softly, forcing Daryl to look right at her instead of avoiding her gaze like he always did when she tried to compliment him. "I know all about big brothers that are bullies. None of what he said or did was your fault, Daryl. You didn't tell him to say it or make him be a slime ball." She leaned in to Daryl and pressed her lips against his once more. Gentle at first, merely a soft brush of lips against one another, before their embrace deepened as it always did. Lips parted, tongues mingled and teeth brushed against one another roughly. Pulling apart for a much needed breath, Sam looked up in to his deep blue eyes and tried to get him to believe her words. "You're a better person than he is."


	30. Chapter 30

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

The Past: Tuesday, June 29th, 1999

 

Silence filled the room and hung heavy between them, as they stood in the living room with their arms wrapped around one another. Looking down in to her luminous emerald eyes, Daryl had no reply to Sam's words, to her claim that he was a better person than his brother; wanting desperately to believe her, but knowing in his heart that she was wrong. The way Sam was beaming up at him, her eyes sparkling with happiness and a soft smile on her face, made Daryl's heart skip a beat and swell at the thought that she might just feel about him the way he did for her. He'd never been in love, didn't know how it felt, but he thought it might feel pretty damn close to the feelings he held in his heart for her. Offering up a ghost of a smile, Daryl dipped his head and thanked Sam for her heartfelt words with a kiss.

Sam's hands were buried in the thick hair at the nape of his neck, the sweet smell of cotton candy lip gloss filled his senses and she tasted of minty toothpaste as her tongue swept against his. Daryl let his hands slide down from her narrow waist, caress the gentle swell of her hips and cup the curve of her ass as he pulled her closer to him. With his hands tucked beneath her buttocks, Daryl tightened his hold on Sam and easily lifted her petite form off the floor until she was in his arms, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist. He vaguely recalled the sound of one, if not both, of her purple flip flops sliding off her feet and smacking the wooden floor as he made his way towards the couch he'd purchased the day before. Easing around the edge of the chocolate brown couch, Daryl put one knee and hand on the cushion and lowered Sam down on to the cool leather. With heavy lidded eyes, Daryl stared down at her for a brief moment, soaking in the image before him and searing it in his memory. Her long blonde tresses spilled across the dark leather, a soft smile formed on her pale pink kiss swollen lips, a rosy hue on her cheeks and the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed deeply. Lowering himself to her, Daryl wedged himself between Sam's golden tan thighs and propped up on one arm, trying to keep his heavy weight off of her.

"What's with the stare?" Sam asked softly as Daryl stared down at her intently, after wondering if maybe she had something on her face. She would, in fact, die of embarrassment right then and there if she had a booger in her nose, or something worse...although she couldn't think of anything worse than that at the moment. He didn't answer right away and continued to gaze at her with those penetrating blue eyes until Sam’s stomach was damn near in knots. After a heartbeat of silence, Daryl murmured, his voice thick and gruff, "You got any clue how beautiful you are?"

Sam had been told on many occasions how attractive she was, but only hearing it from Daryl made her stomach flip and heart skip a beat. Of course, she was still unsure how to respond and somehow thought the prerequisite thank you would be weird in this situation. Thankfully, the remark was apparently a rhetorical one since Daryl didn't give her much time to respond before his lips descended on hers. This kiss was slow, experimental and exploratory, as though he was tasting her and committing it to memory. Her mind swam and her skin tingled in the wake of his calloused hands, and the slow build of that delicious ache of desire burned low in her belly as their embrace deepened. Sam let her hands explore, slip down from his shoulders to slide down his back and caress over the swell of his tight feeling ass, before moving upwards to slip beneath his shirt. His skin was heated and felt like fire against her palms as Sam inched them up Daryl's sides and across his back.

She leaned her head back to allow him better access to her neck; Daryl kissed, licked and nipped along the slender column as he made his way from her jawbone towards the hollow of her throat. Daryl smiled against the tender skin of her neck when he felt the flutter of her heartbeat against his lips. Working his way back up to her lips, he captured them upon arrival. He eased his hand experimentally under Sam's shirt, testing the waters so to speak, and relished the feel of her soft skin on his rough hands. Daryl caressed the heated skin of her belly and felt Sam tremble beneath his touch. He gently slid his hand up her stomach and lightly skimmed the area beneath the fabric of her bra before easing the material upwards.

Whimpering, her skin burned with desire as Daryl pushed aside the cup of her bra and slid his hand across the tender flesh of her breast. The rough, calloused palm of his hand caressed the soft skin and skimmed across the sensitive peak of her nipple; eliciting a throaty moan from Sam in its wake. The cool breeze from the air conditioning hit her heated skin as Daryl pushed up her shirt and, after looking down in to her eyes to see if she objected, slid the garment over her head and tossed it to the floor. There was that nagging thought in the back of her mind that things were going too far, but the feel of Daryl's mouth on her breast pushed them away. Her fingers tangled in his hair as Daryl lavished attention to the dainty globe, the rough feel of his facial hair and the moist heat from his mouth offering up delicious sensations that Sam had never experienced before.

Daryl worked his hand beneath Sam and finagled the clasp of her delicate pink bra open so he could divest her of the object and bare her to his gaze. They parted momentarily long enough to slip the straps off her arms, before Daryl flung it to the side onto the floor. Bare to him now, the milky pale skin of her breasts contrasted against the golden tanned skin of her torso, and the sight had his dick hardening further to the point of it being uncomfortable pressed against the zipper of his pants. Leaning back down to Sam, Daryl kissed her roughly, devouring her lips, and pressed the evidence of his desire for her against the apex of her thighs.

Lost to the feeling of Daryl, his hands, his lips, his scent, Sam let the situation progress to an area it shouldn't without thinking much about it. Daryl's lips were no longer on her breast, but were now kissing a line down her belly and stopping just above the button on her shorts. Sam's eyes popped open when she felt his fingers tugging on the button fly. "No."

His hands stilled at Sam's objection and he dropped his head to rest on her belly. Daryl sighed in frustration, he hadn't meant to do it and certainly hadn't meant for it to be so loud it nearly echoed in the empty room, but he did. Daryl felt her tense up below him and he lifted his head up to find her looking down at him with a worried expression on her face.

"I am so sorry." Sam whispered breathlessly as she looked down in to his obviously frustrated face. She felt horrible for stopping Daryl once again, but she had to admit that looking down at him, past her exposed chest to where he was perched between her thighs was damn sexy. Biting her lower lip, she cringed visibly and tried to explain, "It's not that I don't want to, because trust me, I do...but I can't." At Daryl's confused expression and cocked eyebrow, Sam tried to elaborate without actually saying the words, because she'd never had to explain to a guy that she was on her period and was more than embarrassed that she had to do so now. "Like...right now...I can't do it." Recognition flickered in his eyes as Daryl registered what she was trying to say and Sam was shocked to see the corner of his mouth raise upwards in a half smile. "What?"

"Ain't necessarily a deal breaker." Daryl leered up at Sam, his eyebrow cocked suggestively. While it wasn't exactly how he preferred to have sex, there had been known to be the occasional fuck during that time of the month. And, hell, it wasn’t like she wasn’t going to bleed the first time they had sex anyway. He kissed her trembling belly and licked a line from the waistband of her shorts upwards to dip into her bellybutton, while gazing up at Sam with fire in his eyes.

"Oh, gross!" Sam exclaimed, horrified at the notion. Sure, she desperately wanted to jump Daryl's bones, but she was far from being comfortable enough with him to have sex while on her period...and doubted that she would ever be able to do it. "I am not having sex for the first time while on my period. That’s just…ew!"

Daryl let his head fall back down to her belly and he laid there face down on the soft skin. "You're killing me." He murmured hoarsely, only half joking. He felt her hands slide up his arms, over his shoulders and buried in his hair once more; holding him gently against her.

"You aren't the only one suffering." Sam replied in all honesty as she played with his thick dark locks of hair. She had never found guys with longer hair attractive, but Daryl seemed to be an anomaly in most departments regarding what she did and did not like. With Daryl's head laying on her belly, her hands in his hair, Sam sang softly the feelings she was having, _"Touch me once and you'll know it's true... I've never wanted anyone like this...It's all brand new, you'll feel it in my kiss...I'm crazy for you..."_

"You write that?" Daryl asked without bothering to look up at Sam; his head still laying on her belly, cheek to heated flesh. He briefly thought that they needed to get up, that Sam needed to put her shirt back on, or they'd likely end up heading back down the road towards inevitable rejection, but decided against it...relishing the feel of her naked flesh beneath him.

"It's Madonna, Crazy For You." Sam glanced downwards and smiled at the sight of Daryl resting against her stomach. Although she was half undressed and should probably feel a little embarrassed, being that she was normally a very modest young lady, Sam enjoyed the feel of him against her bare stomach and liked the sense of closeness it provided. "But, you wouldn't likely know that since I doubt you're a Madonna fan."

Daryl kept silent and listened while she lightly sang a few more lines of the song and felt the emotion in her voice as her fingernails scrapped gently across his scalp while she played with his hair. Curious, he asked when she grew silent once more, "Why you bothering with college? Why ain't you out there singing instead?"

"Made a promise to my daddy a long time ago that I'd go to college. Plus, singing…it's just something I do for fun. I doubt I could really make a go at it professionally. I mean, do you have any idea how competitive that market is? I'd just be another country-singing blonde girl in a sea of country-singing blonde girls." Sam shrugged and looked down to find Daryl gazing up at her. "So, I do it here and there, make a little bit of money, have fun while getting a degree...not that I have any clue what I'm going to do, I've changed my major twice and still don't know if Pre-Law is the way to go. It just sounds so dreadfully boring."

"Damn straight it does. What was your first choice?" Daryl really couldn't picture Sam doing anything but performing on stage, and truly couldn't see her as a stuffy ass attorney.

"Pharmacist." Sam replied with a grimace. "My dad had it in his head that I'd graduate and go in to business with my brother, David. After a great deal of whining on my part… I really hate math… daddy finally relented and let me switch. Of course, now he's got it in his head that I can join forces with Josh at his practice." Daryl's gaze was still focused directly on her, listening intently, but his hand was otherwise engaged and kept skimming over her bare skin and tracing circles with his finger, which was very distracting. "Think I could get dressed now?"

"No." Without offering an explanation, enjoying the feel of her against him, Daryl continued to caress Sam's exposed skin and pondered what she'd said about her majors. Seemed like her father ran every aspect of her life and Daryl wondered if Sam truly had any say so about her future. "So, your dad picks your major, says what job you get after college and decides when and where you can sing? Don’t sound like you get no say so in your own damned life."

"It's not like that." Although deep down, Sam knew that Daryl was correct in his assumptions. With the exception of singing with Ryan's band on occasion, being with Daryl was the first true life choice she had made on her own...yet another reason Sam was hesitant to key her family in on her sudden foray in the romance department. "Daddy just wants me to make the right decisions in life...he's just protective of me. That's what daddy's are supposed to do."

"Hmmpff," Daryl replied noncommittally as he didn’t know anything about what fathers were supposed to do to protect or nurture their children...his father certainly hadn't followed any guide book in to raising a child correctly. But, he knew Sam's father was definitely more involved in planning his daughter's life, or controlling her life rather, than a lot of father's out there. "Well, you're too damn talented to be wasting away following whatever plan your dad's got set out for you, Sam. Maybe you should follow your heart instead of listening to someone else. They ain't got to live your life, you know...might as well be happy in it."

"I am happy." Sam replied, more so to convince Daryl than herself, because she was well aware of how much she longed to be on stage instead of college. Smiling down at him as he looked back at her between her naked breasts, she ran her hand through his hair and said, "Plus, I wouldn't have met you if I was off in Nashville trying to make it big."

Daryl crawled up her body so that he could kiss her lips softly in an attempt to silence the thoughts in his head, the demons that screamed out saying he wasn't good enough for Sam and would do nothing but screw things up with her. He was well aware that Sam was too damn good for him and definitely too damn good to be wasting away in Collins, but he kept his thoughts to himself...he was well on his way to being in love with Sam and didn't want to say anything that might change her mind about the way she felt about him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I didn't get a chance to post yesterday, but I was home sick and asleep for the majority of the day.


	31. Chapter 31

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

The present: Wednesday night, March 7th, 2012

The faint sound of an owl calling out in the night was the only sound in the moonlit graveyard as two men, friends by choice and brothers by circumstance, stood quietly in the sea of headstones. Rick stayed there with Daryl, silently standing next to the distraught man as he stared blankly at the marbled headstone that marked the grave of his child. Time slipped by, an undetermined amount, but more than he’d anticipated spending after his quest in locating Daryl was completed.

Eventually though, Rick had to leave the graveyard and ended up having to do so without Daryl, who adamantly refused to leave. While he hated to leave his friend alone in the dark, sitting with his back leaned against the thick trunk of an oak tree across from his little girl and clearly upset, there were things that Rick needed to discuss with the rest of the family. He knew Daryl's feelings on staying as they had discussed the matter on several occasions in private over the past couple of days and it was time for the rest of the group to make a final decision.

Following the path that he and Sam had used earlier, being extra careful to pay attention to his surroundings since he was now without a flashlight, Rick made his way back to town. Several hours had passed since they had departed on the quest to locate Daryl and the town was eerily quiet, the golden hue in some of the windows from lanterns giving away any indication that it was occupied. Rick turned the corner and stepped out on to the main street towards the building they'd been sleeping in since their arrival and found the plywood covered glass door propped open and Michonne sitting on the stoop.

"You find him?" Michonne asked as she got to her feet and slipped the strap of her trusty katana over her shoulder. She had long since gotten prepared for bed and was dressed in a pair of track pants, tank top and barefoot, but was clearly waiting for Rick, and possibly Daryl, to return before turning in for the evening.

"Yeah, he's alright." Rick motioned for Michonne to go inside and followed behind her, closing the door behind them, but refrained from securing it on the chance that Daryl decided to return sometime during the night. Upon his arrival, Rick was met with Carol's worried gaze, as she sat in an overstuffed plaid recliner with a magazine in her lap that was more than a few years old. Since it wasn't his place to tell the rest of the group exactly what Daryl was doing and why, he avoided the topic altogether with a simple, "Daryl's alright, just needs some time alone. He'll be back soon."

Rick walked over to the section of couches where Maggie, Glenn and Carl were sitting playing cards and took a seat. Motioning over the rest of the group that was perched on various chairs or beds throughout the room, he waited until they were sitting around him before speaking. Glancing over his family, seeing them rested and well fed, clean and safe, Rick smiled softly and said, "We've had a tough time. The road has been rough and painful for all of us. We've lost too many loved ones. Not a week ago, the faces I look at now we're exhausted, hungry, depressed...the faces I saw held expressions of people that had given up on life. But, here, looking around I see a difference in those faces after just a few days. Here, we have a chance to be happy...to have a life...to not just survive...to have a future. A place to call home." Rick paused and took in the smiles, hopeful expressions, the nods of agreement shared by the people around him and was happy to see they were on the same page as he was. "I've spoken to Daryl and he's on board with whatever the group decides. Ya'll want to stay, then we stay. Ya'll want to continue on, maybe head further south to the coast, then we go. We'll vote, majority rules. Anyone want to say anything first?"

"And you're absolutely sure we're welcome here?" Maggie asked when no one else offered up any comments or questions. Looking over at the door like Daryl might walk in at any second, she lowered her voice and said, "That Sam and her family wants us here? That Daryl really wants to stay? I mean, things with them are...well, tense, to say the least. How’s that going to work out in the future?”

"Well, that was a concern I mentioned when I spoke with the town council today. According to her father, Sam's not exactly happy with the situation, but is willing to deal with it for the kid's sake." Rick rubbed his hand over his beard and glanced past Carol to where Judith was sleeping in a crib; an actual crib with a mattress, bedding and a mobile and was happy that Sam hadn't made the call to toss Daryl and the rest of them out the very first night. His mind wandered to the graveyard and the headstone where he'd left Daryl and couldn't imagine what he was going through; losing a child had to be the worst experience in the world. "Look, none of us knows what went on with those two, but if they're both willing to make things work out then the rest of us benefit from it."

"Okay then, I'm in if you think it's for the best, that we're welcome." Maggie reached out and took Glenn's hand with a smile on her face. "I like it here."

"Then we vote. Who's for staying?" Rick watched, satisfied as a kitten with a saucer of milk, as one by one every single member of his family raised their hand in favor of staying, except Judith, of course. Leaning back against the couch, he nodded his head once and announced, "Alright then. Tomorrow morning before breakfast I'll check in with the others in the infirmary and see what their vote is, not that I expect it to be any different. After that, I'll tell the council our decision."

The next morning, Rick didn't wait for the rest of the group before heading to breakfast. After checking the auditorium and finding it nearly empty as the kitchen crew made the final preparations on breakfast, Rick headed down the hallway towards the office that Jim Collins spent a great deal of time in. Knocking on the door, he waited for clearance before entering, not at all surprised to find the elderly man sitting behind the desk this early in the morning. "Mr. Collins, sorry to bother you so early."

"Oh, don't you worry about that. I'm usually in here this early." Jim motioned towards the chair opposite of him and said, "I keep a stash of cigars in here. The wife don't like it much when I smoke at home. What can I do you for?"

Rick settled in to the wing back chair and waved off the offer of a cigar. "I just wanted to let you know that I've talked to my group and if we're still welcome, we'd like to make this a permanent place."

"That's good to know! As you’ve probably already figured out, the greatest resource a place can have at times like these are people; good, strong people willing to work." Jim snuffed out his cigar and perched it on the edge of the ashtray that Sam had made him eons ago in crafts class, fully intent on coming back for the other half later that afternoon. Coming around the desk, he offered Rick his hand and shook it earnestly. "Glad to have ya'll aboard."

"Even Daryl?" Rick asked, curious as to how the older gentleman would react to the question. A flicker of disapproval flashed in Jim's eyes as he released Rick's hand and settled a hip on his desk. "I just want to be a hundred percent sure here, sir. Daryl is part of my family and so long as I am here, he will be, too."

"That little girl, Jacey, well...she's his blood, but she's my family." Jim glanced towards the bookshelf that lined the left side of the office to the shelf that held pictures of his family; to where a picture of Sam and a five year old Jacey posed in the surf on their last family vacation before the outbreak. "She's just as much my grandchild as any of my others...so, for her...we'll deal with him being back in our lives. But, if he steps out of line, if his temper gets the best of him, he's gone. If that means the rest of you go with him, then so be it...just so we're clear."

"I get that." Rick looked over at the row of framed pictures on the bookshelf and felt a twinge of jealousy that the man had mementos of his family, but pushed that feeling aside and reminded himself that he still had his children with him and they at least had a chance to grow up safely now. Pushing out of the chair, he offered his hand to Jim once more and said, "Thank you for this, I doubt we can ever repay you."

"You're welcome, glad to have ya'll." Jim shook Rick's hand, a good solid trustworthy handshake and stood up while motioning towards the door. "Why don't we go eat, then ya'll can go get assignments and housing?"

"Housing? We won’t be staying where we are?" Rick stepped through the opened door and followed Jim out in to the hallway.

"Only if ya'll want. There's plenty of houses around town. Normally, people only stay in the sleeping quarters until they're permanent." Jim explained as they walked down the hallway towards the auditorium. "My son, Josh, should be able to tell you where would best, what street has enough empty houses so you're whole group can stay in one area. There’s not much of a need for attorneys now days, so he handles housing and work arrangements. He’ll be at breakfast soon, I’ll make sure he knows to find you.” Pausing with his hand on the door handle, Jim said, “Once ya'll figure out the arrangement, go on over to the co-op and they'll set you up with materials to collect rainwater and such. After all that’s done we’ll see about work assignments."

Rick thanked the man yet again and waited in the hallway while he went in to have breakfast, hanging back until the rest of his group showed up. It had been a long time since he had felt this optimistic, all the way back to when they had found the prison and cleared it of walkers. He just prayed that the silver lining wouldn't tarnish this time...


	32. Chapter 32

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

The present: Thursday, March 8th, 2012

High in the sky, the afternoon sun beat down on Daryl with its golden rays as he sat atop a picnic table outside of Collins High School and smoked yet another one of the stale cigarettes out of the half pack he’d located in an empty home on the edge of town. Overhead, the sky was a brilliant robin’s egg blue and scattered with little puffs of cotton candy clouds and from just one look it appeared to be a beautiful spring day, but there was a chill in the air strong enough to remind the world that winter had not yet made its departure. Squinting against the brightness of the sun, Daryl fiddled with the cigarette, rolling it between two fingers, as he enjoyed the sight of Sam teaching music class just inside the row of partially open windows. Judging by the expression of sheer delight on her face while she danced around with a group of children around Jacey’s age and played a banjo while they all sang, Daryl figured she had yet to notice him lingering about outside.

Looking down at the ground, his dark hair falling forward to hide his face, Daryl heard the crunch of boots on gravel and cocked his head to the side in time to see Cassie hop up on to the table beside him. “Ain’t you supposed to be working on dinner?” Daryl asked since he’d seen her gathering up the remnants of lunch when he’d finally wandered back in to town.

“Seems your group had better people for the job. My lack of attention span didn’t help with Momma Collins, I was forever annoying her, and so I’ve been relieved of my duties on the kitchen staff. You’re looking at the new assistant to the music teacher…don’t think I didn’t use my connections to conjure up that assignment.” Glancing over at Daryl, she noticed the bruises on his face and smiled at the sight. “How’s the nose?”

“Been better. Been worse.” Daryl replied with a shrug as he ground out his cigarette. Spying the slightly swollen red knuckles on her right hand, he smirked and asked, “How’s your hand?”

“Been better. Been worse.” Cassie repeated his answer with a smile. She was surprised her knuckles were still bothering her after several days, proof that getting older meant it took longer for your body to heal itself since there wouldn’t have been any evidence of a simple punch to a nose back in her youth. Nodding in the direction of the open window they were several yards from, she inquired. “You taking up stalking now?”

“Nah, just waiting. We, uh…decided to stick around. Thought I’d break the news to Sam in person.”” Daryl blew out a stream of smoke as ground the last of his cigarettes beneath his boot. He leaned over and picked up the squashed butt and rolled it between his fingers. Letting his gaze fall on Sam once more, he asked, “When’d she learn the banjo?”

“Couple of years ago. Decided one of the songs she was working on would sound better with it, so she went out and got one and promptly taught herself. You know how she is with that stuff.” Cassie placed her hands on the table behind her and leaned back a little bit to soak up whatever warmth the sun could provide. “Heard you went to visit Emily last night. It’s been a long time, huh?”

Daryl gave a noncommittal grunt in response, knowing that Cassie didn’t really expect him to answer her question. They’d always understood one another fairly well, which was likely due to them being similar in a lot of ways; both had grown up with less than desirable parents, although Cassie’s were just absent whereas Daryl’s had been abusive, both were seen by the Collins family as unsuitable for Sam, both loved Sam more than anything else in their lives. Instead of saying anything about his feelings, Daryl did what he figured Cassie knew he’d do and changed the subject back to Sam. “She ever talk to you about her or does she just keep it all bottled up still?”

“Not really. You know how she was after…she didn’t talk to any of us.” Sitting back up, she angled herself in Daryl’s direction and absentmindedly picked at a scratch in the wooden picnic table. “There was one time after you left…maybe a month or so after? Found her at ya’lls old place one night packing everything up.” Cassie’s mind drifted back to that night. The night she’d found Sam sprawled across the living room floor amidst piles of half-filled cardboard boxes and pictures scattered around her, drunk on whiskey and crying her heart out. It was the one and only time Cassie had ever seen her best friend show her emotions to that level, completely devastated and emotionally broken. She still didn’t know which version of Sam after the breakup she preferred…the devastated drunk or the emotionally closed off and damn near mute version. “She was pretty bad that night…broke my heart.”

Daryl chewed on his thumbnail and let his mind wander back to how Sam was after she lost the baby. It was like every bit of sunshine, every last ounce of hope and happiness drained out of her. Closed off emotionally, she had crumbled in on herself and pushed everyone else away…leaving Daryl to grieve the loss of his daughter on his own. For weeks she’d basically gone through the motions of life, barely eating, barely sleeping, and barely speaking to anyone. While he understood the pain, the heart ache, that Sam had been experiencing, Daryl had wanted…needed…to mourn the loss with his wife, but had been kept at arm’s length while the Sam he knew withered away and died inside. There had been one brief glimmer of hope in the midst of those months of despair. One night, when his wife had come to him, loved him and fell asleep in his arms. The next morning, he had woken up to find Sam no longer tucked next to him in their bed. His heart had been filled with optimism for weeks after that night, but that sliver of hopefulness had slowly withered away along with his wife.

It had been that one night that had led Daryl to believe that the little girl held tightly in Sam’s arms in the heart shaped locket was his; the result of their lovemaking that evening.

“And then, she came back to us…slowly, but still…she came back. Started writing again, played with Ryan’s band a couple of times. The rest is history, so they say.” Cassie slid off the picnic table and shoved her hands in the pockets of her coat. Their eyes connected as Daryl dropped his hand from his mouth and looked directly at Cassie. In his gaze, she saw the same sadness, the same grief, she had seen in his eyes after Sam lost the baby and their marriage fell apart and it hurt her heart in a way she hadn’t expected. While Cassie wouldn’t admit it, deep down she was a hopeless romantic and for years had hoped that Sam and Daryl would work things out in the end. “You know, she’s happy now. I think Jacey played a big part in that. And, Ryan…when she finally gave in and moved on I thought that would fix things. But, it didn’t. Ryan? He’s so in love with her, but she’s not in love with him. Sure, she loves him, cares about him a lot, but I know Sam…likely better than she knows herself. She doesn’t look at him the way she looks at you.”

Their discussion was cut short as the sounds of doors being thrown open and the joyful shrieks of children being released from school for the day filled the air. Offering up a smile, Cassie took her hands out of her pockets and motioned towards the school. “I’m supposed to walk some of the kid’s home today. What I said? Just give it some thought, ok? And don’t tell Sam, please? She’d have my head if she knew I was out here spilling all her secrets.”

Daryl nodded in agreement as hopped off the picnic table. With Sam in his line of sight, he grabbed the bag he’d tucked beneath the bench and slid it over his shoulder as he followed behind Cassie towards Sam and Jacey, who launched herself in his direction when she noticed him. The feeling of a child wrapped around his leg, hugging him with all of her might, clearly happy to see him, was one Daryl doubted he would ever grow accustomed to. When Jacey pulled away, Daryl noticed a familiar case slung across her back and asked, “You play the guitar?”

“Uh huh. Sam’s been teaching me…even gave me her first guitar!” Jacey whipped off the case and set it on the ground at his feet and opened it up to show off the weathered guitar that was covered in stickers of flowers, butterflies and hearts. “I’m not very good, but Sam says I just need to practice lots. That’s what she had to do.”

Realizing it was the same one he’d seen hanging in Sam’s music room at her parents’ house, the one she’d mentioned purchasing at a pawn shop when she was only ten years old, Daryl smiled fondly at Jacey. “She knows what she’s doing, just gotta listen to her. Tried to teach me, but it didn’t stick.”

“Probably because you wouldn’t practice like I told you to.” Sam chastised Daryl as she reached out and mussed Jacey’s hair. Glancing back up at Daryl, but yet trying to avoid eye contact at the same time, she noticed that he was sporting a heavier load than she’d seen on him the past couple of days; with not only his crossbow slung over his back, but also had a bag over his shoulder. “Going somewhere?” She asked curiously, while praying she sounded as nonchalant as she thought she did.

“You’re not leaving are you? You just got here.” Jacey asked worriedly as she eyeballed the bag slung over Daryl’s shoulder. She’d been warned the new people might not decide to become permanent residents and that Daryl wasn’t known to stay in one place too long, but she’d said her prayers every night that her brother would want to spend time with her and not leave.

“Nah, I ain’t leaving.” Daryl replied quickly to reassure the little girl with evidence of tears in her eyes and a slightly quivering chin. When he looked back up at Sam, Daryl felt Jacey slip her small hand in his and latch on tightly. Closing his hand around hers, Daryl smiled as he said, “Wanted to tell you myself. We’re staying.”

“Oh, um…that’s good. Jacey will enjoy having you around.” Sam ignored the beat her heart skipped when Daryl said that he wasn’t leaving Collins. “Where’d they put you?”

“Where d’you think your brother put me?” Daryl replied sarcastically. Jacey bounced on her toes next to him, possibly doing some type of dance he wasn’t aware of, and tugged his hand back and forth while doing so, causing him to lurch a little bit to the side while trying to talk to Sam.

Knowing that the mobile home park that Daryl had lived at when he’d first moved to Collins was no longer there, Sam smiled softly as she realized Josh had put him back in the house he’d rented when they had started dating. The house they’d lived in when they were married. It was probably some type of weird punishment in Josh’s head. “The house on Cherrywood?”

“Yeah, got us set up in some of the houses over there.” Over Sam’s shoulder, Daryl spied Ryan coming out of the school. He’d been told that Sam’s boyfriend helped coach basketball with Tyler a couple days a week if they weren’t gone on a run, but had hoped that today would be one of the days he wouldn’t be there. Couldn’t be that lucky, of course. He nodded, jutting his chin out in the direction of Ryan and murmured, “Got company.”

Glancing over her shoulder, Sam saw Ryan approaching from the gym and muttered a low curse she prayed neither Jacey nor Daryl heard. Turning back to Daryl, she asked, “Think maybe you could show Jacey where you’re staying? I’ve got something I need to do.” Handing Jacey the book bag she’d been holding, Sam waited for Daryl to agree before saying, “She’s got some spelling words to go over and some math, if you don’t mind making sure she at least starts it? Um, this shouldn’t take long…I can meet ya’ll for dinner?”

Daryl watched as Sam jogged over to intercept Ryan, who pulled her in to an embrace that was clearly meant as a gesture to show he was marking his territory. As the two disappeared in the direction of the park behind the school, hand in hand, Daryl tried to quell the feelings of jealousy at sight of the two of them together…and tried to push aside the thoughts of what they were going to be doing while he was watching over Jacey. Once they were out of sight, Daryl sighed and looked down into the wide eyed face of his little sister and said, “Let’s get out of here.”

Sam forced herself not to look over her shoulder at Daryl as she walked hand in hand towards the park with Ryan. It was difficult, but somehow she managed to put one foot in front of the other and keep her eyes focused straight ahead and not on the past that stood behind her. She let Ryan lead her to one of the wrought iron benches situated around the water fountain and took a seat next to him. Looking in to his eyes, seeing the worry that she’d put there, Sam realized that Ryan knew what she was about to say. Keeping one of his hands in hers, she traced a finger across the back of the wide hand that had dwarfed hers in size every time they joined for the past couple of years. “Ryan, I…I’m so sorry.” Sam whispered, instantly choked with emotion as she blinked away tears and dropped her eyes.

“Don’t do this, Sam. Not for him.” Ryan grabbed hold of both of Sam’s hands and lifted them to his mouth to brush a kiss across her knuckles. He'd always had that nagging voice in his head that said she would leave him if Daryl ever came back, that he'd never compare to the love she had for her husband. Ryan had just hoped that he was wrong, but apparently not. The past few days had been downright agonizing while he waited for the talk that he and Sam were destined to have, but as the days had passed since he’d gotten back in to town and she hadn’t said a word to him, he’d foolishly let his hopes rise that it wouldn’t happen. He dropped their hands back to his lap and lifted one hand to her face to wipe away the tear that trickled down her cheek.

“It’s not for him, Ryan. It’s for you.” Sam admitted, her voice wavering as she struggled to keep any more tears from falling from her eyes. “You deserve better than what I can give you…someone who doesn’t fall apart when her ex-husband shows back up all of the sudden. Someone who can make you happy.”

“You make me happy, Sam. Always have.” Ryan let go of Sam’s hands and scooted away from her on the bench, as though those few inches of distance would help relieve the pain he felt in his heart. “I’ve always loved you, you know? From that first time I saw you singing karaoke back at college. I couldn’t believe it when you finally came to me, after all those years. But, if I’m honest with myself, I know you never felt the way about me that I felt for you.” Deciding to put more distance between them before he became a complete and total fool by begging her to break up with him, Ryan stood up and took a few steps towards the empty fountain. With his back to her, he continued, “I’m leaving in the morning anyway. Thought I’d get out of here for a while and let you figure things out.” He actually hadn’t even considered leaving Collins any time soon, but knew that the scavenging team set to leave the next day was short one due to injury and would appreciate his offer to join them.

“Another run? But you just got back.” Sam stood up and crossed over to where Ryan was standing and put her hand on his arm. She knew the dangers of going out on runs and that’s why the groups alternated, which kept the members of the scavenging teams from getting too complacent, burned out or exhausted. They’d lost too many people in the early days by sending out too many people at once and too often. “Ryan, don’t go. Please? For me?”

“Well, see, that’s the thing…you don’t get a say in what I do anymore, Sam.” With sadness in his eyes, Ryan pulled away from her and walked away without looking back…not wanting Sam to see his heart falling apart as he walked away from the only woman he’d ever loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thought I'd go ahead and post another chapter since I didn't put one up on Sunday, being out sick and all. I will be on vacation next week and I plan on updating, but you know how vacations be doing you and all. Maybe, if I get a good response from these chapters I'll make sure to carve out time to write and post. Teehee.


	33. Chapter 33

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

Saturday, July 3rd, 1999

Due to a hectic schedule the remainder of the week, Sam hadn’t been able to see Daryl at all since he had dropped her off back at home in the wee hours of Wednesday morning; only managing a couple of phone calls before bedtime. With him working during the day and her night’s occupied with church and band practice and the impromptu family dinner Friday night, where her brother, David, had finally proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Krista, there simply hadn’t been any time to see one another. So, by Saturday morning, Sam was eager to spend time with Daryl. Thankfully, Cassie had the brilliant idea earlier in the week that Daryl could be her “date” to the birthday party slash Fourth of July celebration Saturday evening; at least that way he’d be able to spend some time with her on her birthday.

Once sound check was completed, Sam had forgone changing in the bathroom at the park like she normally did, opting to run home and get ready instead. The town festivities were set to start at six o'clock, but the band wasn't scheduled to start playing until half past eight, just before sunset. So, Sam had plenty of time to get ready since it was barely half past five when she pulled in to her driveway. Since she had every intention of spending the remainder of the night after the party ended with Daryl, Sam spent an inordinate amount of time preparing. After scrubbing herself from head to toe, she shaved and thoroughly applied lotion, Sam had her hair up in hot rollers while she got dressed. Every year, her mother insisted on having a special dress hand made for her birthday and this year was no different. Royal blue with faint strands of silver shimmer throughout, the sleeveless dress had a sweetheart neckline and was fitted almost like a corset to fit tightly around her waist before flaring out to fall in waves to mid-thigh. Although the dress would have paired better with a nice set of high heels, Sam was and likely would always be more comfortable in boots instead. So, after yet another discussion on the subject matter with her mother who tried her best to get Sam to wear a beautiful pair of sparkling silver heels, Sam had put her foot down and ended up getting a new pair of charcoal gray cowboy boots with sparkly rhinestones on them.

The tricky part about getting dressed was what to put underneath the dress. Sam was fairly certain that tonight would be THE night and she wanted to dress accordingly; no mismatched or old underwear tonight! Since there was no way she could have purchased anything more fitting for the occasion in town without someone tattling to her mother, Sam had to settle for what she had at home. Being less than endowed in the chest department and the tightly fitted dress she could forgo a bra, which was nice since she couldn't seem to find a strapless one that matched any of her underwear. Settling on a lacy pair of fuchsia panties, Sam set out getting dressed and slipped them on before stepping in to the dress. Although the top portion of the dress resembled a corset, the seamstress had thankfully opted to put in a zipper up the back instead of a series of clasps up the front. After a less than graceful attempt at zipping up the dress on her own, Sam slipped on a pair of socks and her boots. Sure, it was less elegant than high heels, but at least she would be comfortable. After spritzing on a good amount of her favorite body splash and adding jewelry, she was ready to go.

Since she was allegedly spending her birthday evening with Cassie, Sam had to keep up the appearance by driving her car over to pick up her best friend. Grabbing her pink and white stripped duffle bag, which contained a few items she thought might be necessary for the evening ranging from personal hygiene to clothing, Sam headed downstairs to go pick up Cassie. About ten minutes later she was at her destination and, of course, found the ever tardy Cassie still getting ready.

"Seriously? My birthday party and you can't even be ready on time." Sam chastised Cassie with a shake of the head and a smile as she sat down on the unmade bed. "I'm supposed to be there soon."

"Pssht," Cassie waved her arm at Sam in a dismissive manner and smiled, "The birthday girl can be late, you know. It's like…a perk. Plus, my date said he'd be by to pick me up in about ten minutes, we wouldn't want to leave before then, right?" Turning her back to Sam, Cassie grabbed a gaudily wrapped present off her vanity and held it out to Sam. "Happy Birthday!"

"Presents!" Sam smiled brightly and clapped her hands together. Taking the box out of Cassie's hands, she laughed out loud when she saw that instead of a bow the present was adorned with a brightly colored strip of condoms. "I am so glad you didn't give me this in front of everybody!" She sat the "bow" aside and tore in to the wrapping paper, which was really just the comic section from the newspaper, and looked inside to find a framed picture of the two of them and a bottle. Sam picked up the picture and realized that it was from the very first birthday party that Cassie had come to in junior high. Grinning up from the frame that was decorated with various colored fake gems, were herself and Cassie with the most ridiculous birthday hats perched on their heads and flowers painted on their faces. "I love it. Thank you!"

"What do you get the girl that has everything?" Cassie felt bad that she couldn't get Sam something more expensive like the concert tickets she'd planned on, but being on a budget meant that sometimes you had to get creative with your gifts. Reaching down in to the box, she grabbed the bottle and waggled her eyebrows at Sam. "And a little something for later tonight."

"Strawberry flavored nipple cream? Really? Do my nipples need to be flavored?" Sam blushed at the very thought of Daryl licking her breast and finding out she'd applied the cream. "I'll keep it in mind, but he honestly seemed to like my Sam flavored nipples well enough."

"Did he now? Why am I just now hearing about this?" Cassie smacked Sam on the shoulder playfully. "It's in the rules that as a best friend I am privy to information that pertains to your sex life. I tell you everything!"

"The other night, he took me to see the house he moved in to. There was some...heavy petting. We definitely rounded second base." Sam put the picture back in to the box, but held on to the condoms and the cream, just in case. Fidgeting with the strip of condoms, she chewed on her lip and looked up at Cassie. "Is the first time really awful? Like, does it hurt as bad as I've heard?"

"It's not that bad. Really." Cassie's voice was muffled as she tugged a red halter top over her head. Once it was settled in place, she started adding jewelry while saying, "I've heard it can be for some girls, and some don't have much pain at all. Just try to relax and breathe, it's over pretty quickly. The pain, I mean...not the sex. Well, that's not true...it's over pretty quick for some guys. Like my first time, with Wes Smith... it was really like, maybe two whole minutes of bliss on the laundry room floor at Matt Williams’s birthday party when I was fourteen. Be glad you're getting to experience the wonderful world of sex for the first time with someone older, because the groping, sweaty hands and BBQ flavored chip-breath of a sixteen year old hunching you on a cold tile floor is not very desirable."

Sam wrinkled her nose in distaste as the mental image of what Cassie was describing filled her brain. "Ew. Yeah, no...I am glad I waited, but...to be honest, I think I'd rather have done it the first time with someone else who was having it for the first time, you know? I mean, Daryl is a lot older and obviously experienced. What if I mess it up somehow?"

"It's sex. Guys are just happy they're having it. Just go with the flow and follow his lead." Cassie slicked on her lipstick and was about to say something else when the sound of an engine roaring up to the house killed the conversation. "Lover boy's here. Might as well go stick your tongue down his throat while you can."

As giddy as a child on Christmas morning, Sam flew out of the room and flung the back door open as Daryl was about to knock. "Hey, you."

With his hand still poised to knock on the door, Daryl stared at Sam, transfixed by how beautiful she looked. Lowering his hand, he crossed the threshold and closed the door behind him. Grinning down at her, Daryl slid his hands around her tiny waist and pulled Sam close to him and lowered his head and brushed his lips across hers. "Hey. You look beautiful tonight."

"Thank you, so do you. I mean, you know, you look...handsome." Sam laughed as she took in the fact that Daryl had even shaved for the occasion. Wrapping her hands around his neck, burying them in his thick hair, Sam eased up on her tiptoes and kissed him deeply; the sensation felt a little odd without his facial hair rubbing against her skin.

"Alright, you two. Time to break up the make out session...we got a party to get to." Cassie announced as she stepped out of her bedroom and shut the door behind her. Holding out her hand, she handed Sam the box containing her presents. "I put everything back in here." She smiled wickedly at the deep rosy hue that spread across Sam's cheeks when she took the present from her hands. "Clean up nice, Dixon."

"Thanks." Daryl mumbled and wondered what was in the box that caused Sam to blush profusely. Glancing over at Cassie, he once again was reminded at how different the two friends were. While Sam always dressed casual to the point of bordering on too reserved, Cassie, on the other hand, had no problem wearing whatever outfit showed off her impressive assets and tonight was no different. Decked out in a flame red halter top that barely made it to the top of her belly button and a pair of black low cut skintight jeans, there was nothing left to the imagination as to what she would look like undressed. The fact that Cassie was more like the women he usual consorted with hadn't been lost on Daryl and he wondered what had changed in him since he wasn't attracted to her in the slightest. Sure, Cassandra Delaney was smoking hot, but for Daryl, when you put her next to Sam she paled in comparison.

Once they were outside, after Cassie had to break Sam and Daryl apart yet again, Sam watched in her rearview mirror as Daryl backed out on to the roadway. Scowling at the sight of Cassie sitting behind Daryl, with her arms wrapped around him and wearing Sam's helmet, Sam couldn't help but feel the green monster of jealousy clench at her heart. Of course, she knew that the two of them together was just a sham for her benefit, but seeing Daryl with someone else, even her best friend, was a sight that sickened Sam. Forcing her eyes away from the mirror, Sam pulled out of the driveway and followed them through town towards the town park where the festivities were being held and for the first time in her life, since her family started throwing such elaborate birthday parties for her in high school when she started singing at town celebrations and not just church, Sam didn't want to attend. Instead, she wanted to skip the celebration all together and hole up in Daryl in his house; just the two of them, away from the prying eyes of the town, forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos and reviews! I greatly appreciate them. I know several of you have been wondering about when we will officially get to the sexy time, but like I said, this is a slooooow burn...but, we aren't too far off. :) I promise.


	34. Chapter 34

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_Saturday, July 3rd, 1999_  
 

Sam nosed her car in to the space next to Daryl's motorcycle and killed the engine; checking her makeup in the mirror before opening the door to get out. Watching Cassie crawl off the motorcycle and smile as she handed the helmet to Daryl, Sam scowled in their direction and fought off the urge to kick her best friend. She knew her jealousy was unreasonable and downright juvenile since Cassie was doing nothing wrong, simply being a good friend and playing along with the faux relationship she and Daryl had so that he could come to Sam's party, but that aspect wasn't appealing to the logical side of Sam's brain at the moment. She locked the door and, when her friend rounded the rear of the Camaro, handed the key ring to Cassie since she would be driving the car back to her house that evening.

"You okay?" Cassie asked worriedly, not missing the expression on Sam's face as she pocketed the ring of keys. Not even thinking that her friend's foul mood had anything to do with being jealous of her, Cassie instantly assumed that Sam was upset about not being able to spend her birthday party with the man she was dating. "The party will fly by and then you and sweetie pie will have the rest of the night together."

"I know...and I'm fine." Sam forced a smile on to her face as if to prove just how fine she actually was, but the overall effect lacked in the happiness department and instead, appeared sad. When Daryl walked around to them and stood next to Cassie and not her, Sam felt that green demon rear its ugly head again and tried to fight it off by reminding herself they were doing this for a reason.

"Alright then. Let's get this show on the road." Cassie announced brightly as she reached out and took Daryl's hand in hers; missing the flash of sadness in Sam's eyes this time.

Daryl, however, didn't miss the expression on Sam's face this time and desperately wanted to shake off Cassie's hand and kiss Sam until all trace of unhappiness was wiped clean. Leaning in close to Sam, he connected their gazes and whispered, "Rather be with you."

"Me, too." Sam whispered back wistfully. She ached to be in his arms, to have his body pressed against hers, to feel his lips on hers. This year, her only birthday wish was to never have to spend another minute without Daryl. "It's just a couple of hours, right? We can do this."

The three of them walked down the stone pathway towards the lake where Daryl and Sam had their first kiss to where the town had erected a stage for the band to play on and rows upon rows of red, white, and blue clothed tables with candles on them were scattered around the water, and strings of white lights adorned the trees. Come nightfall, it would be very romantic looking and was yet another reason for Sam to scowl since she wouldn't be with Daryl enjoying the festivities. Instead, she would be on the stage, a place where she had always preferred to be before Daryl, and not out mingling with the crowd of people already milling around.

"Sam, sweetie! We were getting worried about you." Donna Collins popped out at them the moment the pathway ended and their feet hit the grass. Impeccably dressed in white dress pants, a royal blue silk shirt, and an impressive strand of pearls, Sam's mother looked more like she was ready for a day mingling at the country club instead of a glorified picnic. Glancing down at her wrist to the watch that cost more than what most people make in a month, she frowned when she noticed the time. "Ya'll are set to go on in less than ten minutes."

"Sorry, Mrs. Collins, it was my fault. Running late, as usual." Cassie stepped in and tried to deflect Sam's mother, not missing the flicker of distaste in Donna's emerald green eyes as she glanced over the outfit she'd chosen for the evening. Brushing off the disproval, almost used to it by now, she motioned towards Daryl. "This is my date for the night, Daryl. Daryl, this is Sam's mom, Donna."

"We've met. Ma'am." Daryl stepped forward and offered out his hand to Sam's mother and was honestly a little shocked when she reciprocated the offering and shook his hand.

"Great. Introductions have been made, so I have to get going." Sam announced, sounding like a petulant child even to herself, before leaning in to brush a kiss across her mother's cheek and turned to walk away, glancing over her shoulder to wave to Daryl as she headed towards the stage.

"We've got tables down by the water, Cassie. You and Daryl are more than welcome to join our family if you would like." Donna motioned towards the row of tables necessary to accommodate their large family. "More than enough room for ya'll, too."

Cassie looked past Sam's mother to the tables she gestured towards and noticed Tyler sitting there staring back at her. She'd love nothing more than to go down there and flirt relentlessly with Sam's brother for the entire evening, but since she and Daryl had to keep up appearances she said, "We'll probably end up there...going to mingle some first."

"Thanks for that." Daryl said once Donna Collins was well out of earshot. "Ain't quite ready for the whole family." His gaze followed Sam's mother back to the tables where the entire Collins clan was located and took in the perfectly manicured and expensively dressed lot of them; even the children looked like they had stepped out of a magazine.

"Trust me, no one ever is." Cassie reached down and took Daryl's hand in hers once again and tugged him towards the buffet line where mounds of smoked meats, potato salad, potato chips, beans, and desserts were piled high on long tables covered in red and white checkered tablecloths. "Come on, Dixon. I'm starved."

After filling their plates full of food, they headed closer to the stage to take two remaining seats at a table full of the handful of people from high school that Cassie actually liked. As night started to fall around them, the golden hue from the candles and twinkling lights became more prominent, and the band took the stage. Daryl's attention was drawn towards Sam, the food on his plate momentarily forgotten as she bypassed the microphone and her guitar at the front of the stage and instead took a seat at the piano located just off to the side.

"Sweet. I haven't heard her play the piano in a while. Bet you have, right? She told me all about your sleepover in her music room." Cassie asked with a mouthful of pulled pork, leaning close enough to Daryl that the other people on the other side of the table didn't hear their conversation.

"Nah. Tried to get her to play, but we...uh, well, there was....No, I haven't." Daryl stammered about a bit, not wanting to say anything loud enough for anyone to hear. "She was writing a new song with it though."

"Yuh-huh, other stuff had to be done. I get it." Cassie winked knowingly at Daryl and shook her head. She could swear she saw him blush, but with the low lighting it was hard to tell.

"Hey ya'll, thanks for coming out tonight. It's a real treat to spend my birthday with everyone!" Sam announced into the microphone that was situated on the piano. For once, she actually felt a twinge of annoyance that she had to spend her birthday with the entire town of Collins. "We've got a few new songs for tonight, so I hope ya'll enjoy the show. First, I wanted to start with one I actually just wrote a couple weeks ago, so don't judge us too much if we mess up." Smiling down towards the crowd, Sam appreciated the good natured chuckled that rippled through the air; everyone down there knew that on stage, Sam Collins didn't mess up. " _It's called Just a Kiss_."

Popping her knuckles, Sam flexed her fingers a few times before placing them on the keys. With this song, she started off and the other members came in later in to the song after the first verse. After the first few notes, she began to sing, _"Lyin' here with you so close to me...It's hard to fight these feelings when it feels so hard to breathe...Caught up in this moment...Caught up in your smile."_

"Oooh, two songs wrote about you. Impressive." Cassie muttered as Sam finished up the first verse, honestly impressed since she had never known of anyone that Sam had written more than one song about. "Of course, you're going to have to stop pointing those puppy dog eyes at her like that unless you want the Collins clan to figure out our sham."

"I ain't got puppy dog eyes." Daryl broke away from staring at Sam and glowered at Cassie. "You need to quit yapping your mouth so loudly."

 _"I've never opened up to anyone...so hard to hold back when I'm holding you in my arms...We don't need to rush this...Let's just take it slow,"_ In order to keep from staring back at Daryl and hopefully keep the blush of arousal that his gaze produced in check, Sam closed her eyes and went in to the chorus. " _Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight...Just a touch of the fire burning so bright...No, I don't want to mess this thing up...I don't want to push too far...Just a shot in the dark that you just might...Be the one I’ve been waiting for my whole life...So baby I'm alright, with just a kiss goodnight."_

"Trust me, no one is paying attention to our conversation while Sam's singing." Cassie said before taking a drink of her soda. "It's like they become zombified. But, I wouldn't put it past someone from that table over there," She pointed towards the Collins family, "to look back over here at some point."

"She's really good, ain't she?" Daryl muttered, his eyes transfixed on Sam as she belted out the chorus with her eyes closed. He couldn't help but smile as he recalled the day at the pond when she'd sang that part of the song to him and was still just as touched now as he was then that she'd written a song about how she felt about him. It was, by far, the most impressive thing anyone had ever done for him.

 _"No, I don't want to say goodnight...I know it's time to leave, but you'll be in my dreams,"_ Sam smiled while she sang, recalling the day at that she had sang part of this song to Daryl and the way she'd felt when writing the song; remembering the butterflies in her stomach and the feel of his lips on hers as he'd kissed her goodnight that evening _. "Tonight… Tonight...Tonight."_ Leading in to the final chorus set, Sam allowed herself to open her eyes and search out his, wanting to sing directly to Daryl so that he knew this song was just for him. Belting out the lyrics, putting every ounce of her feelings for Daryl in to each word, she finished up the song, _"With a kiss goodnight...Kiss goodnight."_

While part of her wanted to be in Daryl's arms, tucked away in the privacy of his home, another part of Sam reveled in the sound of the applause coming from the crowd when she finished singing. Pushing away from the piano, she walked over to the microphone and picked up her guitar. "Alright, how about we step up the pace a little bit? This one's called, Sparks Fly." Sliding her guitar strap over her shoulder, Sam tapped her foot and waited until it was time to start playing _._ Taking a deep breath, her eyes searched for Daryl and a bright smile spread across her face when their gazes connected. _"The way you move is like a full on rainstorm...and I'm a house of cards. You're the kind of reckless that should send me running...but I kinda know I won't get far..."_

  


**Songs: Just a Kiss Lady Antebellum/ Sparks Fly Taylor Swift

  



	35. Chapter 35

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_The Present: Thursday, March 5th, 2012_

Sam perched on the edge of the stone fountain, long since drained of any water that had once flowed through it, and watched with great sadness as Ryan walked away from her. She felt horrible for the pain she'd caused him, for breaking up their relationship just because her ex-husband had suddenly showed back up in her life, and for being the reason why he was putting his life on the line to go out scavenging when he had just returned home; undoubtedly wanting to get as far away from her no matter what the cost to his life could be. Once Ryan disappeared around the edge of the school, likely heading back to his house located only a handful of blocks down the road, Sam sighed as she stood up and headed in the same direction, wanting to grab her guitar off the stoop of the school where she'd left it when she'd left Daryl and Jacey and gone off with Ryan.

Not wanting to go home, and definitely not wanting to go over to Daryl's house, Sam bypassed the turn to go downtown and instead, headed through the field to use the back entrance in to the municipal building. The loud voices and clangs of pots and pans coming from the kitchen let her know that dinner was in the process of being made so she didn't need to interrupt just to talk to her mother. She slipped past the double doors that were propped open to dispel some of the heat from the wood burning stoves and help warm up the auditorium where the meal would be served, Sam hopped up on to the stage and disappeared behind the thick maroon curtain. Not bothering to open up the curtain, Sam used the box of matches on the piano to light the lanterns that hung on the wall above the instrument to fill the darkened room with a faint golden glow.

She propped her guitar up against the wall near the piano and sat down at the bench and flipped open the heavy wood that covered the keys. Staring down at the ivory keys beneath her hands, Sam sat there in silence not knowing what she wanted to play until it seemed as though her fingers had a mind of their own and started playing a song she hadn't played in years; the first song she had ever written for Daryl.

In the kitchen, Maggie heard the sound of Sam playing the piano and singing what had been Beth's favorite song as the melodic music filtered in to the room. Glancing up from chopping vegetables, her eyes connected with Sam's mothers and she said with a smile, "I guess that's one of the perks to working in the kitchen."

"Definitely. The mornings are a bit on the boring side, but Sam comes in a couple of times a week after the early classes to play before it's time to pick up Jacey. Although she's in a little later than normal today." Donna wondered where Jacey was as she grabbed a pair of oven mitts to remove a boiling stock pot off the stove and drain the contents. The sounds of a song she had not heard in years trickled in to the kitchen and its meaning weighed heavily on her heart. "She hasn't played that in years. It was always one of my favorites."

"My sister, Beth, loved it, too. You know, we met Sam years ago at one of her concerts. Beth won tickets and backstage passes, it was such a wonderful experience for her. Really made her want to sing professionally one day." Maggie dumped a handful of canned vegetables that she'd diced finely in to a container and passed them off to the next person in line who was in charge of making something edible from them. She had been assigned kitchen duty based on the fact that she had experience from her previous life on the farm, but Maggie wasn't sure that was exactly where she wanted to be permanently, but doubted that there would be much of a choice now that she was placed there.

"Sam mentioned it the other day at church, said she was going to try to find you a picture, right? Did she managed to locate it? I know that room of hers at the house is a disaster, nothing ever got fully unpacked when she moved back to town officially." Before Sam had been placed as Jacey's official guardian, she'd traveled back and forth from her house in Collins to the loft apartment she'd rented in Nashville and when she had stepped away from her other life after Jacey had been left with her those belongings from the apartment had just been shoved in to a room in her house.

"Yes, actually, she did. I can't believe she'd do that for me. I mean, we barely know one another." Maggie smiled brightly at Donna as she thought of the framed photograph of her family sitting on the end table by the bed in their new house. She and Glenn had been given a three bedroom, two bathroom brick house across the street from Daryl and shared it with Tara for the moment. There had been some talk about it being just theirs if they ever decided to grow their family of two.

"Sam's always had a big heart. If there was something she could do for someone else that would make them happy, then she'd give it her all." Donna heard Sam finish the current song and a moment of silence filled the area as she undoubtedly sat at the piano trying to decide what to play next. "Here, hand me that chopping board and knife. Why don't you take her a glass of water for me? Her voice is sounding a little scratchy, no doubt from singing with the kids all day."

"Um, sure." Maggie traded her chopping station for a glass of lukewarm water and sat it down long enough to take off the flowery apron she'd donned that morning. "She won't mind, will she? Me just barging in, that is."

"Not at all, I usually either take her a glass or have someone else take it. She's likely expecting it." Donna shooed Maggie out the door and got back to chopping vegetables.

Maggie headed out of the kitchen and used the side stairs to get up on to the stage and stood awkwardly outside the curtain and wondered if she should go in since Sam had finally started another song. Recognizing it immediately as one that she had loved, Maggie stood outside and enjoyed listening to it instead of barging in just yet.

In the hallway that ran on the other side of the stage, Daryl and Jacey had just entered; way too early for dinner, but Jacey was complaining that she was hungry already and so he figured that Mrs. Collins wouldn't mind fixing that problem. Jacey darted down the hallway and took a hard left at the end, disappearing from sight. Under normal conditions, the way the world was now, Daryl would have went after her immediately, but since he knew that this particular building was monitored heavily because it held the majority of their supplies, he strolled down the hallway at a slower pace; stopping at the end as Sam started playing the piano again and her sweet voice found its way to his ears.

 _"I kept waiting on a reason...and a call that never came...No, I never saw it coming...something in you must have changed."_ Sam closed her eyes and willed away the sting of tears in her eyes as her fingers flew over the keys, not needing sight to tell them where to go. _"All the words unspoken, promises broken...I cried for so long...Wasted too much time, should've seen the signs...Now I know what went wrong..."_

Maggie caught movement out of the corner of her eye and, on instinct, she braced herself for attack, her free hand going straight for the knife on her hip. Seeing that it was just Daryl's little sister flying around the corner in the direction of the kitchen, she relaxed and waved at Jacey as she crossed in front of the stage.

"Hi, Maggie!" Jacey hollered, swinging her arm in a wave as she carried on to the kitchen in search of something to snack on until dinner.

Sam's fingers stilled, hovering just above the keys, the words to the upcoming chorus verse caught in her throat as she heard Jacey's voice from outside the curtain. "Jace? I'm up here." She called out, figuring Jacey was looking for her. Instead, and by complete surprise, it was Maggie's head who poked around the curtain with a sheepish grin. "I'm sorry, I thought I heard Jacey."

"You did. She just said hello while running to the kitchen." Maggie slipped past the curtain and held out the glass of water towards Sam. "Your mom thought you might be thirsty. I'm sorry for bothering you."

"It's no problem. Thank you, I am thirsty actually." Sam took the glass and gulped down half the contents before sitting it down on the piano. "How's kitchen duty? My mom's not being too much of a control freak, is she?"

"It's ok, and your mom is just fine...she's really sweet actually." Which had surprised Maggie since she'd heard horror stories about how strict Donna Collins was in the kitchen, but so far there hadn't been any incidents. Maggie stuck her hands in the back pockets of her jeans and rocked back on her heels. "That was always one of my favorite songs. Thought I'd wear a hole in my CD after my college boyfriend broke up with me. That and A Little Bit Stronger. Thought my daddy was going to pull out all his hair from hearing them constantly."

"So, you and Glenn...not college sweethearts, I gather?" Sam gestured for Maggie to take a seat in the chair next to the piano. When she saw Maggie shake her head to say that they weren't, Sam gestured to the wedding band set on her right hand. "Were ya'll married long before the outbreak?"

"Actually we didn't meet until a couple months after. Their group ended up at our farm after Carl was shot accidentally by my uncle while he was hunting. My dad treated him." Maggie looked down at the sparkling diamond ring and smiled, "It's kinda morbid, but Glenn got this off a walker while we were living at the prison. Never actually got married, officially, but we consider ourselves to be...I guess that's what matters now days."

"We do weddings around here. We keep track of all births, deaths and marriages...make it as legal as you can these days by keeping all the papers and such in one of the offices here. Figure someone might need that information one day. Ya'll could get married officially if you wanted." Sam reached up to grab the glass and took another sip of water before replacing it. "Just have to get town approval is all, which is really nothing more than meeting with the judge, the preacher and town council. They've never actually turned anyone down."

"That would be really wonderful. I never...we thought this was all we'd have now. It's enough, don't get me wrong, but what girl doesn't want a wedding?" Maggie instantly regretted her words when a cloud of sadness passed through Sam's eyes. Obviously, she knew that Daryl and Sam were married, but judging from the expression on Sam's face it looked like there wasn't a ceremony. "I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"

"Not at all." Sam waved her hand towards Maggie dismissively. "I was just thinking about weddings, is all. I never actually got one myself. We...me and Daryl...just went to the courthouse, nothing special. But, you're right, most of the girls I've known dream of a wedding."

"Beth was obsessed with it when she was little. She would line up her dolls and stuffed animals, wear a veil her mom made for her out of an old pillowcase and lace, and marry this enormous stuffed bear. It was adorable, but annoying, too. I was so much older than her and wanted her to focus on college and getting a degree. I used to tell her she should focus on doing something more with her life, something important, and she'd get so mad." Maggie paused to sniffle at the memories of Beth dragging around her ‘husband’ and tripping all over the place while trying to walk in a pair of her mother's dress shoes. "Now, I just wish she was here to get married. Heck, to at least fall in love or something."

"I, uh...heard that she was um, close with...with Daryl." Sam stammered about, the words getting stuck in her throat as though they refused to be spoken; like saying them out loud would mean that Daryl had been involved with Beth. "Rick mentioned it."

From out in the hallway, Daryl heard his name and eased closer to the doorway to hear what was being said; feeling very much like a stalker, but he wanted to know what Sam was saying about him. Inching closer, he hoped that his cover wouldn't be blown before Maggie and Sam finished talking. Quietly, he moved the crossbow from where it rested on his back and held it in his hands as he leaned against the cool cinder block wall.

"When our home got invaded everyone just ran...I ended up without Glenn for a long time and Beth ended up with Daryl. I, uh...I don't know what happened with them. Never thought to ask, personally...didn't really want to know. I mean, she's...she was my baby sister and Daryl, well...he's a lot older than her." Maggie shifted uncomfortably in her seat, not really sure the best way to go about discussing such a delicate situation with Sam. Deciding to just put all of her cards on the proverbial table, Maggie went ahead and told Sam her thoughts on the matter of Daryl's involvement with Beth. "I thought maybe they were involved, you know...romantically...but I'm not sure of that now. They were close, sure...but honestly...I think she reminded him of you. I mean, I can see it now, especially thinking back to when we met you at your concert...so, surely he did from the beginning. I think, maybe, that's one of the reasons why he took such good care of her and was so upset when she died."

Daryl's heart clenched at the mention of Beth, especially about the time they'd spent with one another away from the group. He knew there was a great deal of speculation about what really went on between the two of them, but no one had asked him specifically about it; not that he would have told them if they had since it was no one's business but his and Beth's. Of course, nothing had happened between them, unless you count the friendship that had blossomed, the trust that had been built, and the honesty they'd shared with one another. But, hearing Maggie's thoughts on the situation and realizing that she'd put together one of the main reasons he'd taken care of Beth and why he'd been so hell bent on finding her even though there wasn't any certainty that she was still alive, had Daryl feeling slightly ashamed for the way he'd been treating Maggie since Beth's death. While the resemblance to Sam had been one of the reasons he'd been drawn to Beth Greene, in the end, his attachment to her had been due to a lot more than that. She'd become one of his best friends, someone he cared for and even loved, as much as he felt he could love someone these days. When he'd found his way back to his family, had tried to explain what had happened to Beth, seeing everyone realize that they'd been together...just the two of them...well, Daryl had felt like he was being judged for having feelings for someone as young as Beth, had felt like he was being looked at differently, as though he had preyed on her instead of doing his best to protect her. Leaning his head against the wall, he held his breath and waited for Sam's reply to Maggie's speculation.

Hearing Maggie's thoughts in regards to the relationship between Daryl and Beth made Sam feel a little less jealous at the thought of the two of them being involved. She could see how Daryl would have thought of her with Beth. Heck, back at the Tabernacle she'd thought the same thing when she'd heard the young girl sing, had taken in the wide eyed look of innocence, the wild mane of blonde hair and the voice that sounded years older than she'd actually been. Smiling, Sam nodded her head in agreement to Maggie's words and said, "I guess I can see that. Beth and I were alike in a lot of ways, I noticed it, too, that night at the Tabernacle. Daryl, he's...well, I'm sure you know that he's guarded and doesn't let a lot of people in...So, I'm glad he had someone out there that cared about him. There's a lot of hurt left in my heart in regards to that man, but I never stopped loving him. If Beth made things out there a little easier, even for a little bit, I'm glad they had one another." Sam turned back to face the piano keys and avoided Maggie's gaze, shocked to the core that she'd opened up to a virtual stranger. In an attempt to let Maggie know the topic was no longer up for discussion, she put her hands on the piano and asked, “You want to hear the rest?"

"Yes, please." Maggie leaned back in the hard plastic chair that reminded her of the ones she'd been tortured with in school. She was beyond shocked at hearing Sam admit that she still loved Daryl and wondered what that meant for the two of them. She especially wondered if Daryl felt the same way, but seriously doubted she could ever get him to admit it to her...or anyone else, for that matter.

Out in the hallway, Daryl's heart swelled at Sam's words. While he knew that they were a long way from repairing the damage to the relationship, the love they'd once had, hearing her say that she still loved him was a giant step in the right direction. Not once in the twelve years since he'd walked out on Sam had his love for her ever waned. Sure, he'd been with other women during that time, but he had never loved any one with the ferocity he had loved Sam, never allowed himself to become involved with anyone else...any other woman he'd spent time with after Sam and before the outbreak had been for one thing and one thing only, sex.

Until he met Carol, someone who could relate to abuse from a loved one, Daryl had never opened up about the cruelty he had suffered through as a child at the hands of his father. It was Carol that first saw the changes in him as he fought to become someone other than he was; to become a worthy man. And, then there was Beth, who'd been half lit on moonshine while they sat in the moonlight and swapped stories about their lives. Sweet, innocent, Beth, had been the only other person in his life, and outside of Collins, who he'd told about his marriage to Sam, how he had failed her, and how much he still loved her. It was that night when Beth had reached out to him, took his hand in hers on the decrepit front porch of an illegal still house, and told him that it was a shame that his wife couldn't see the man he had become. It was Carol and Beth's confidence in him, their belief that he was an honorable man that gave Daryl the strength to stay in a town where he wasn't wanted and prove to his wife that he was a better man than the one who had walked out on her years ago.

Daryl remained in the hallway, leaned back against the wall, as Sam started back up on the piano and picked up where she'd left off and realized the song she was playing was the one he'd watched her sing on television when she had performed at the CMA's a long time ago. His mind flashed back to the night when he had sat in yet another mobile home, still located on the wrong side of the tracks, and watched as she sang her heart out on national television. Looking like the angel he had always known she was, blonde hair shining as it fell around her beautiful face in waves, sparkling in a stunning white dress covered in shimmering beads. He had watched the entire show, sat through what he considered to be a completely boring monstrosity unless Sam was onstage, as she and her band performed and collected a handful of awards. He had known that night that the song they performed was intended for him, as were the majority of the songs she had written since they'd met nearly thirteen years ago, and as she sang about wanting him more than he'd wanted her, Daryl knew he needed to prove her wrong.

_"I guess I wanted you more....And looking back I'm sure...I wanted you more...I guess I wanted you more."_

**Song: Wanted You More by Lady Antebellum


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is officially finished! YAY! I've only been working on it for about six months! Anyway, since it's 140 chapters long and I don't really feel like posting it for the next year, I am going to try and update as much as possible from here on out. Only having internet access at work makes it difficult, but I should be able to post 3-4 times a week easily. 
> 
> Thanks for the reviews and kudos! I love them and muse really loves them, so keep 'em coming!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

The Past: Saturday, July 3rd, 1999

 

The summer night air was warm and moist, thick with humidity, but there was a gentle breeze that offered at least a slight reprieve at times. Fanning herself with one of the red, white and blue cardboard fans provided by their church, Donna Collins relaxed in her chair and enjoyed watching her daughter entertain the crowd that had gathered around the park to celebrate the holiday; both the fourth of July and Sam’s birthday. She had long since given up the fight to keep her honey colored locks the way her hairdresser had styled them that afternoon and succumbed to the desire to pin them up and away from her neck. Looking at Sam onstage, Donna wondered how her daughter managed to seem unfazed by the temperature.

As the mother of four boys who had tested their limits more than once, Donna Collins possessed a set of keen observational skills and a very high patience level. So, when her daughter’s line of sight set in on one particular location yet again, she thought to herself that Sam’s behavior was a bit odd since she usually played to the crowd and never let her gaze linger in one area too long. Paying close attention this time, Donna followed Sam’s line of sight all the way to the table where Cassie and Daryl were sitting, but this time, her long time best friend was not present. Chalking this occurrence up to one friend seeking out another, Donna let her attention slide away from the table where the young man who had rescued Sam from the side of the road sat alone, and focused on her daughter once more.

Until it happened again…and again…

And then, something clicked in the brain of a mother who had seen her daughter practically floating around the house on cloud nine for the past few weeks with stars in her eyes. A daughter who expressed her thoughts and feelings with music and poetic lyrics, instead of plain old words. A daughter, who had spent hours upon hours tucked away alone in her music room, churning out new love songs one after the other. A daughter, who by all appearances acted as though she was in love and currently seemed unable to keep her eyes off the object of her desire.

Curious, Donna wondered if the young man that Sam couldn’t seem to take her eyes of off shared that sentiment, or if it was one sided. Being that Daryl had shown up with Cassie, the infatuation seemed to be completely on Sam’s part, but that wouldn’t explain why he appeared to be returning that love sick gaze. Narrowing her eyes, because aging hadn’t been kind in the vision department and she hated wearing glasses, Donna tried to get a clearer picture of what was going on between her daughter and Daryl Dixon. When even a good squint didn’t help, Donna threw caution to the wind and excused herself from the table.

Completely focused on Sam, Daryl didn’t notice Donna Collins approaching until it was too late and she was sitting at the table next to him. Trying to quell the panic he felt rising inside, Daryl attempted what he hoped was a nonchalant look as he glanced around the party in hopes of locating Cassie to no avail. Coughing lightly to remove the lump that was suddenly in his throat, Daryl nodded his head and murmured, “Mrs. Collins.”

“Seems you’ve lost your date for the evening.” Donna didn’t fail to notice the expression on Daryl’s face when she sat down and took that as a sign that her assumptions were spot on. “How long have you and Cassie been dating anyway? I don’t believe she’s mentioned you.”

“Oh, um…just a couple of weeks.” Daryl itched for a cigarette and wiped his sweaty hands on the thighs of his pants. He’d been interrogated by more than one police officer in his life, but the look on Sam’s mother’s face right now was worse than any law enforcement official.

“Hmmm, not too serious then? That must be why I haven’t heard about the two of you dating.” Donna fanned herself calmly with the fan and gave Daryl a good once over. Other than being in dire need of a haircut, she could see why her daughter would be attracted to him, as Daryl was a good looking young man. However, she could tell he was a good bit older than Sam and she doubted he had any other aspirations in life besides being a mechanic, which wasn’t a bad thing since the world needed mechanics, but her daughter deserved something more, personally. Knowing she had to play her cards right, if she was actually correct in her assumptions, that simply telling them they couldn’t see one another would cause the opposite to happen. “Well, it’s nice she has you around. I know poor Cassie just hates it when Sam is off at college since she doesn’t have too many other friends. And, with Sam leaving again in just six short weeks….well, I’m glad to know Cassie will still have you.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Daryl mumbled as he glanced around yet again for Cassie, who was clearly taking the longest bathroom break in history. While he didn’t know Donna Collins in the slightest, he was fairly adept at reading people and he wasn’t too comfortable with what he was picking up from Sam’s mother at the moment. Finally, on his second pass over the bathroom area, he found Cassie emerging from the facilities and made eye contact with her.

“Shit.” Cassie mumbled loud enough for the elderly woman going in to the restroom behind her to give her a case of the stink eye. She couldn’t believe that Sam’s mother was sitting with Daryl and dreaded the thought of what they might be discussing. Putting some speed in to her step, Cassie all but ran back to the table to hopefully rescue Daryl from an interrogation by someone who was a professional at making people squirm in their seats. “Mrs. Collins, how nice of you to keep Daryl company while I was in the restroom. He doesn’t know too many people in town yet.”

“Of course, dear.” Donna smiled at Cassie, who didn’t fail to notice the lack of warmth in the gesture, and stood up so she could have her seat back. Putting her hand on Daryl’s shoulder, Donna looked down at Cassie after she reclaimed the white folding chair, “It’s a good thing he found you then, isn’t it? Well, you two have a good night. I’m going to go on back to my table now.”

Cassie watched as Donna Collins leisurely strolled back to the table where the rest of her family was sitting, the children busy running around in circles nearby, and waited for her to sit down before turning to Daryl. “What in the world was she doing over here?”

“She knows.” Daryl gave in to the urge to smoke, but didn’t want to do it with Sam’s mother watching him like a hawk. Standing up, he held out a hand to Cassie and, after she accepted it, led them both down a nearby pathway for some privacy.

“What do you mean she knows?!” Cassie threw her hands up in the air and gestured emphatically as she paced the clearing nervously. “What did she say? Exactly…word for word…what did she say?”

“Shit, I don’t know.” Daryl inhaled deeply and nearly sighed from the calming pleasure that rushed through his body. As he exhaled, he shrugged and said, “It ain’t exactly what she said…was the way she said it.”

“Did she straight up ask if you were dating Sam?” Cassie felt her anxiety ease up just a bit when Daryl shook his head. “So, she doesn’t _know-know_ then? Because if she knew what was going on, trust me, she’d have called you out on it. Maybe she was just fishing around? Ok, good…then us being back here for a while will throw her off, right?”

“I don’t know,” Daryl mumbled around the cigarette dangling between his lips. Reaching up, he took hold of the cigarette and pinned Cassie with a serious look in his eyes. “Maybe we should just tell them? Get it out in the open?”

“And maybe my head could spin around while I puke pea soup?” Cassie replied sarcastically as she reached out and snatched the cigarette from his hand. “What? I left mine at the table.” Taking a puff off of it, she held it back out to Daryl as she exhaled. “Look, it’s not that you’re a bad person. It’s just that, well…Sam’s family expects certain things from her and dating the local mechanic isn’t it. You know Sam, you know how perfect she is? Her parents groomed her to be that way, to be squeaky clean and absolutely perfect. Well, that means she’s supposed to go to the perfect school, too. And, graduate with a perfect degree, meet the perfect man, have the perfect house, spit out some fucking perfect kids and maybe have a perfect dog or some shit. I dunno, why risk saying anything about you two if it’s a summer thing, right?” Cassie stopped pacing long enough to look at Daryl as she asked the same question she’d posed to Sam. Realizing he had the same look in his eyes that Sam had, she sighed. “Neither one of you know what the hell a summer fling is, do you?”

Daryl dropped his cigarette and ground it in to the dirt below his boot, all the while avoiding Cassie’s accusatory gaze. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he shrugged and mumbled, “Don’t know what you mean.”

“You know exactly what I mean! You! The both of you!” Cassie curled up her fists in front of her and shrieked exasperatedly while stomping her foot. “It was supposed to be a summer fling! You are not supposed to fall the fuck in love with one another!”

“I ain’t in love.” Daryl protested half-heartedly, barely loud enough for anyone to hear him. He watched Cassie have what could only be called a hissy fit as she stomped the ground with both feet and cursed loudly. It took a moment, but what she said finally penetrated his mind and Daryl grinned slowly and asked, “Sam loves me?”

“Of course she does, you idiot!” Cassie replied without thinking as she continued to have a fit in front of Daryl. When she realized what she’d said, she turned back to him with wide eyes and pointed her finger at him. “Damn it! I didn’t say that! You hear me? I did not just say that.”

“Didn’t hear a thing.” Daryl took a step back as Cassie pointed her finger at him and took a step forward. Putting his hands up, he repeated, “Seriously. Didn’t hear nothing.”

“Damn right you didn’t, because I didn’t say anything. Nothing… _at all_ …about Sam and her feelings.” Cassie heard the band stop playing and realized they needed to get back out there in case Sam started looking for them. “Look, Sam hasn’t said anything exactly, ok? I just know her. So, just…you know, don’t go accusing her of anything like that.”

“Like I said, didn’t hear nothing.” Daryl watched as Cassie narrowed her eyes and pointed her finger at him once more in a manner that was possibly supposed to be threatening, but the only thing he could do was smile at her, which only seemed to annoy her even further. Reaching out, he took Cassie’s hand in his and started pulling her towards the trail that would lead them back to where the party. “Come on, don’t want to keep Sam waiting...since she loves me and all.” Normally, feeling the sting of someone smacking him, even on the arm, would cause a different reaction in Daryl, but this time all he did was chuckle and continue on dragging Cassie behind him; cursing him the whole way.


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos and the review!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_Saturday, July 3rd, 1999_

 

Sam sat her guitar down, placing it gently in to the stand next to the microphone, before waving to the ground and promising to be back after a short break. Scanning the crowd, her eyes searching him out as she made her way across the stage to the stairs, Sam’s line of sight landed on Daryl and Cassie as they emerged from the tree line, holding hands and laughing. Jealousy stabbed her in the heart as she descended the stairs and darted towards the bathroom instead of towards Daryl. She let the door slam behind her loudly and made a beeline for the nearest stall, ducking inside before anyone else could come in to the bathroom behind her. Tucked away behind the stall door, a pale green pock-marked piece of metal, Sam kicked at the toilet and let a very colorful expletive slip past her lips before closing the lid to the toilet and sitting down on top of it in a huff.

Upon seeing Sam storm off stage and head towards the bathroom, Cassie had immediately dropped Daryl’s hand and left him standing in the center of the proverbial viper pit alone in favor of checking on her best friend. Assuring him that he would be fine, Cassie sprinted towards the bathroom and slipped inside ahead of a former classmate and locked the door; a move that garnered more than one harsh word from the other side. “Sam? What’s wrong?” Cassie asked as she leaned over to see which stall Sam was hiding in.

“Nothing.” Sam knew she was being unreasonable, but damned if that made her calm down at the moment. Sticking her feet out, she shoved them against the back of the stall in case the flimsy lock wasn’t working so that Cassie couldn’t barge in. “I’m fine.”

“Uh huh. People that are fine don’t hide in toilets.” Cassie peered through the sliver of space between the door and the wall so she could peek through and see Sam. Seeing her best friend perched on the toilet in her pretty dress with her legs sticking out and feet pushed against the door worried Cassie. Frowning, she squatted down and, in a move that she found severely disgusting, got on her hands and knees and poked her head under the door. “Seriously? You’re making me resort to this? Don’t make me crawl in there.”

Seeing Cassie’s head poking out from underneath the stall door was so ridiculous that Sam couldn’t help but snicker at the sight. Relinquishing her hold on the door, Sam put her feet back on the floor and leaned forward to unlatch the lock, but remained seated on the toilet as Cassie stood up. “I said I’m fine. Just wanted to be alone.”

Cassie walked over to the sinks and turned the water on before soaping up her hands in order to wash off the grit from the bathroom floor. Peering at Sam in the mirror, she rinsed off her hands and cocked her eyebrow at her best friend. “Just tell me why you’re in a funk and I will gladly walk outside and keep everyone from coming in until your break is over.”

“I don’t wanna tell you.” Sam admitted sullenly as she reluctantly got off the toilet and walked over the sink. Leaning against the sink, she crossed her arms over her chest and avoided Cassie’s questioning gaze. A moment of silence passed between them before someone broke the tension by banging loudly on the bathroom door. In unison, both girls called out, “Occupied!”

“They’re gonna bust down the door soon, so you’d better fess up. What’s with the major case of sulk going on?” Cassie mimicked Sam by leaning against the other sink and crossing her arms across her chest, adding in the pouty facial expression for effect. “This is not the position of someone who is, and I quote, fine.”

“You and Daryl, ok!?” Sam finally admitted with an exasperated sigh. Tossing her hands in to the air in an overly dramatic emphatic gesture, she pushed off the sink and paced the small tiled bathroom. “It’s stupid, I know, but still…you and Daryl. Are you happy now? I’m freaking jealous that you’re out there holding hands with him and doing who knows what in the woods.”

“Really?” Confused and certain that she’d heard Sam wrong, Cassie uncrossed her arms and eased her hip off the sink. “Are you serious?”

“Yes, I’m serious. Why wouldn’t I be? Have you looked at you?” Sam stopped her pacing long enough to gesture towards Cassie; utterly jealous of her best friend with her shampoo commercial raven colored hair, porn star pouty lips and luscious curves in all the right places. “I’m sure he’d rather be with you anyway.”

“Sam, I love you dearly, so don’t take this the wrong way, but…are you an idiot? There’s nothing going on with me and Daryl, we’re just pretending…like you wanted us to. Geez.” Cassie glowered at Sam, her heart a little bit broken because her best friend thought she was the type of person who would actually do something like sneak around with Daryl. “I can’t believe you honestly think I’d do something like that. To you, of all people.”

Sam’s shoulders dropped and she felt about an inch tall. Realizing she was being a complete and utter idiot, totally childish. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. Honestly. I know you wouldn’t do that to me, I’m being an idiot, Cass.”

“Yeah, well, you should be sorry…and you are an idiot.” Cassie blinked away the tears that had formed in her eyes. Not once in their nine year friendship had Sam ever looked at Cassie the way that other people had until that very moment and that solitary look broke her heart. “I love you! Daryl loves you! We’d never do that to you, so stop being a complete ass.”

“I love you, too!” Sam cried, crossing the tiny bathroom to wrap her arms around Cassie in apology. Pulling back, she sniffled and looked at her friend with a quizzical expression. “What do you mean Daryl loves me?”

“Oh, shit.” Cassie sniffled and wiped at her eyes. How had she managed to do the exact same thing with Sam that she’d done with Daryl earlier? Minus the waterworks, of course. One would think she’d have learned her lesson. “He didn’t say it exactly, and I certainly didn’t just say that….so, just forget what you heard.”

“But, he loves me.” Sam smiled and repeated Cassie’s words. Grabbing Cassie’s hands, Sam twirled them both around in the bathroom, while another series of knocks filled the room as the women on the other side pounded on the door. Wiggling back and forth in place, Sam did a little dance of happiness, her mood having done a complete one-eighty. “He loves me!”

“Would you hush? The whole world is going to know.” Cassie giggled and waved her hands frantically at the door. “Who knows who’s on the other side of that door?”

“I’m shushing. The secret is safe with me.” Sam lifted a hand to her mouth and made a locking gesture before tossing away the invisible key. Holding one of Cassie’s hands, Sam let her friend pull her towards the bathroom door and out in to the night with barely a hint of recognition towards the wake of angry women they left behind them.

By the time they emerged from the bathroom and headed towards Daryl, Sam’s break was nearly over and they still had to cut the birthday cake before the band started back up. Slipping past Daryl, who was sitting at the table with a handful of people he didn’t know and looked extremely uncomfortable, Sam tried to express her apology with only her eyes as she made her way towards the table where a massive birthday cake waited for her.

“She ok?” Daryl asked as Cassie reclaimed her seat next to him and they both angled their seats around in order to watch Sam blow out the candles on her birthday cake.

“Minor freak out, but she’s good now.” Cassie gave Daryl the side eye and shook her head at the nonsense she was having to deal. “The two of you, with all this nonsense, are going to drive me absolutely banana-shit.”

Daryl wanted to ask Cassie what she meant, to elaborate on what the problem was in the bathroom, but didn’t get the chance since the crowd starting singing happy birthday to Sam. Chiming in, his voice barely a breath above a whisper, Daryl watched as Sam blew out the candles on her enormous cake and wished he could openly celebrate the occasion with her. He sat by, patiently waiting for the evening to be over so that they could finally be in one another’s arms, as she helped pass out slices of cake to town members. Finally, she was heading his way, her hands filled with plates topped with massive slivers of white chocolate birthday cake.

“Hey guys. I stole a few pieces so ya’ll don’t have to deal with the line.” Sam slipped in between Daryl and Cassie and sat the plates down on the table in front of them. Squatting down, she tucked herself between them, basically out of sight from anyone else; not that many people were paying attention to her now that there was cake to be had. Tipping her head up to Daryl, she smiled and slipped her hand beneath the tablecloth to rest it on his thigh. “Having a miserable time, yet?”

“Course not.” Daryl slid his hand under the tablecloth and took hold of Sam’s hand, rubbing the pad of his thumb across the soft skin. Cocking his mouth in a half smile, he murmured, “Just ready to have you all to myself.”

“Me, too.” Sam’s heart skipped a beat at the look in Daryl’s eyes. “Not much longer. We have a few more songs, then the national anthem and they’ll start fireworks after that, then I’m clear to go.” Tearing her eyes away from his, Sam looked toward the stage and noticed the members of the band were starting to trickle back down that way. Frowning up at Daryl, she wished she could kiss him before going back to finish the next set. “I’ve got to go.”

“See you in a bit.” Daryl released his hold on Sam’s hand and let his eyes follow her back to the stage. He hoped their next set went faster than their first two sets went, because he couldn’t wait to get Sam alone. He’d honestly been a little shocked when she’d asked if it would be alright for her to stay the night with him instead of going back to Cassie’s around sunrise like normal. While he knew that her parents had excused her from the normal Sunday morning church services, Daryl hadn’t thought Sam would be brave enough to forgo the usual sneak in to the house before Cassie’s parents got home from work, but he was glad that she had decided to do so.

“You gonna eat that?” Cassie’s voice interrupted his thoughts a split second before she reached out and stole the plate of birthday cake out from under his nose. “Hey!” Daryl frowned at her as she eagerly dug a fork in to the giant slice of chocolate cake.

“What? You weren’t going to eat it anyway. Just drool over Sam and leave me to the cake. It’s all I have.” Sam’s mother had a few faults in the personality department in Cassie’s opinion, but whipping up decadent baked goods wasn’t one of them and the birthday cake was proof of her culinary genius. Cassie shoved a spoonful of thickly frosted cake in her mouth and mumbled, “So good!”

Daryl left Cassie to her cake, turning his attention back towards the stage to where Sam was slipping her guitar strap back over her shoulder. The song she started singing seemed vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t place it straight away. After the first few verses, he smiled as Sam started in on the chorus and he recalled hearing her sing it at his house earlier in the week.

_“I’m crazy for you…Touch me once and you’ll know it’s true…I’ve never wanted anyone like this…”_

Sam waited onstage for the first burst of fireworks to shatter brightly across the sky after she finished singing the national anthem before darting down the stairs and in to the crowd in search of Daryl and Cassie. Unfortunately, she was stopped halfway to her destination by her family. Plastering on a bright smile, she faked happiness at being diverted from Daryl and accepted the hug from her father. “Hey Daddy!”

“You did good up there, baby girl. Made your daddy proud!” James Collins wrapped his daughter in a bear hug, a gesture that wasn’t difficult to do since Sam was so much smaller than him. “Where you off to?”

“I’m going over to Cassie’s tonight. Remember? I told you I was spending the night with her.” Sam slipped from her father’s hold and made her way through the throng of bodies that made up her family, hugging each and every member while thanking them for coming to the party. “I’ll be home tomorrow afternoon for lunch though.”

“Ya’ll try to stay out of trouble. I’m off duty the rest of the night.” Bo Collins mussed his little sister’s hair the way he’d done every time they’d seen each other since she was a just a kid. Quitting the typical brother and sister pestering since it was her birthday, Bo leaned down and picked up his youngest child, four year old, Bailey. Calling out that it was time to go to his other children, ten year old Mason and eight year old Caitlyn who were running around in circles nearby, he motioned for them to come over while saying goodbye to the family. “Dad, we’ll see ya’ll tomorrow at church. It’s time to get these guys home and in bed.”

“I’m outta here, too! I’ll be home around lunch, Daddy. Thank you for tonight.” Sam wrapped her arms around her father’s neck and brushed a kiss across his cheek, before moving on to her mother to do the same. “Goodnight, love ya’ll.”

Without looking back, too afraid her family would monopolize any more of the time she could be spending with Daryl, Sam made a beeline over to the edge of the clearing where he was waiting for her with Cassie. Looking down at their entwined hands as she grew closer, Sam once again had to choke back the feeling of jealousy that bubbled up and reminded herself that it was all an act.

“I’m free to go!” Sam announced once she was within a few feet of them. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw her family heading towards one of the parking lots on the other side of the park and was grateful that it meant none of them would be near where Daryl’s bike was parked. Motioning with her hand for them to both turn in the opposite direction and go towards the parking lot, Sam put one hand on each of their backs and pushed them towards the trail. “Come on!”

Relieved to find the rear parking lot nearly empty, Cassie dug out the key ring from her front pocket and pushed the button to unlock Sam’s car. “I think ya’ll will be able to slip out unnoticed if you wanna go on with Daryl, Sam.”

“Ok, um…if that’s cool with you?” Sam, suddenly overcome with a serious case of nervous butterflies as the part of the night she’d been looking forward had finally arrived. When Daryl nodded, giving her that halfcocked grin she found so incredibly sexy, Sam scurried around the side of the car and opened the door and slyly transferred the birthday items from Cassie from the box to the bag. She slipped the strap over her head and settled it across her chest, glad that it wasn’t too bulky, and turned back to Cassie. “I’ll, um…be over before lunch. Are you going to church?”

“Doubtful. I have some late night plans myself.” Cassie cocked her eyebrow suggestively and made Sam blush an even deeper red than she already was. “Wake me up when you get there. Your mom said I should come to lunch.”

“Ok, well, have fun tonight and be careful. And, I really am sorry about earlier.” Sam stepped forward to give Cassie a hug and, after releasing her, watched as she crawled in to the car and pulled out of the spot before turning to Daryl. Using the ponytail holder on her wrist, she secured her hair into a low knot and said, “And then there were two.”

“About damn time.” Daryl handed Sam her helmet and reached out to buckle it for her once it was on her head. Strapping on his own helmet, he swung one leg over the bike and settled down on the seat, turning the key once Sam was nestled in behind him. Turning the key, his bike roared to life and after guiding it out of the spot by walking it backwards, Daryl headed toward his house.

 

*Song by Madonna: Crazy For You**


	38. Chapter 38

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_Sunday after midnight, July 4th, 1999_

 

“Thankfully this dress was long enough to tuck under my legs, otherwise I’d have given quite a show to the few cars we actually passed on the way here.” Sam laughed and smoothed down her dress after getting off the motorcycle when they were at Daryl’s house. Feeling very shy, Sam handed Daryl her helmet and, once he’d hung both of them on the handle bars, took the hand he held out to her.

Once inside, she stepped in to the room and waited for Daryl to shut the door behind them and turn on the kitchen light. With the room brightly lit, she glanced around, taking in the newly added furniture, and smiled. “Look at you, with actual furniture!”

“Still don’t got much, but it’s more than just a couch.” Daryl tossed his keys on to the kitchen counter and watched with an amused smile as Sam walked around the area, clutching the straps of her duffle bag that was still strapped across her body, checking out the furniture that had gotten delivered midweek. He wasn’t being humble when he’d said it wasn’t much, just a kitchen table and chairs, some end tables and coffee table, bar stools at the counter, a couple of lamps and even curtains, but it was more than he’d had in there last time she’d visited. He also had new furniture in the bedroom, but didn’t want to point that out just yet. “Um, that’s for you.” Daryl pointed towards the kitchen table where a brightly colored present was perched in the middle of the dark wood, thankfully wrapped by the store clerk so it looked respectable.

“Present? For me?” Sam clapped her hands and moved towards the table, finally removing her duffle bag and letting it drop on to the floor. “You didn’t have to get me something.”

“Sure I did. It’s your birthday.” Daryl shrugged and motioned for her to go ahead and open it, crossing the room to stand behind her while she ripped the paper off the rectangular box with all the excitement of a child on Christmas morning. When she finally tore open the box, the top of it landing on the floor with the colorful wrapping paper fluttering down behind it, and pulled out the gift he had painstakingly sought out he was glad to see her face light up with happiness.

“Daryl, it’s beautiful. I love it. It’ll be perfect for writing songs.” Sam ran her hand over the buttery soft brown leather of the notebook cover and noticed her initials etched in to the bottom corner of it. SJC for Samantha James Collins. “Cassie told you my middle name, didn’t she?”

“Yeah, and it’s a little weird your dad stuck you with his name.” Daryl reached out and put his hands on her waist, pulling Sam closer to him as she continue to ooh and ahh over the present. “It’s removable … you can use it with other notebooks. You really like it?”

“I absolutely love it.” Sam sat the present on the table and turned around to face Daryl. Easing up on to her tip toes, she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in to him; happy to finally be alone with him and in his arms. “It’s the best gift I’ve gotten.”

“Good.” Daryl leaned down and kissed Sam; a gentle brush of the lips that sparked a fire deep inside that he’d only ever felt with her. Tightening his hold on her, Daryl pulled Sam against him, pressing their bodies closer together as their kiss deepened.

Sam’s skin tingled, her mind swam and her body ached for Daryl. She moaned softly at the feel of his tongue brushing against hers as their embrace grew more intense. Fisting her hands in the thick hair at the nape of his neck, she pressed against him and felt his desire pressing back against her. Pulling away from his lips, Sam smiled up at Daryl and murmured, “I’ll be right back…I’m, uh, going to go freshen up.”

Daryl watched as Sam grabbed her bag and, with a shy smile, turned and headed towards the bathroom. It took him a moment to realize why she was blushing so profusely, but it eventually hit him about the same time as the bathroom door clicked shut. Quickly, he darted across to the living room and turned on one of the table lamps before turning off the bright fluorescent light blaring away in the kitchen. He stood in the center of the rooms and wondered if he should go ahead in to the bedroom, or if that would be too forward, or if he should stay in the living room. He’d just opted for sitting on the couch when the shrill sound of the phone ringing split through the air. Glancing at the clock on the stove, he noticed it was nearly one in the morning and wondered who would be calling. He grabbed the phone off the charger on the television stand, he answered the phone. “Yeah?”

“Baby brother,” Merle sighed inwardly with relief when Daryl’s voice came across the line. Glancing nervously over his shoulder at the man behind him, he said, “I need you, man.”

Daryl listened somewhat patiently as his brother filled him in on what had been going on in his life since he’d moved out the weekend before. Unfortunately, none of it was good and when Merle got to the real reason he was calling, Daryl groaned and asked, “Seriously? It has to be now?” He closed his eyes and sighed. “Fine. Yeah, I’ll be there soon. You fucking owe me for this, Merle.”

Sam came out of the bathroom about the time Daryl flung the cordless phone across the living room, where it landed on the couch and bounced off the cushion to fall in to the floor. Sure, she’d been in the bathroom a bit longer than anticipated reapplying deodorant, spritzing on body splash, brushing her teeth and yes, dabbing on some of the absurd nipple cream Cassie had bought her just in case, but she didn’t think she’d been in there long enough to completely destroy Daryl’s mood. Dropping her bag just inside the living room, she stood in the doorway and hesitantly asked, “Everything ok?”

“Shit, no.” Daryl growled as he stomped towards Sam, slipping past her to go in to the bedroom. Yanking open a drawer, he reached inside and shoved the clothes inside around until he located the wad of cash in the bottom. He peeled off fifteen one hundred dollar bills and shoved them into his pocket before slamming the drawer shut and stomping angrily back to where he’d left Sam standing. One look at her face had his anger slipping away slightly because he realized she thought there was something wrong with her…or with them. “I’m sorry. Merle’s done fucked up…again, I gotta run to Macon.”

“Oh, well…I could go with you.” Sam offered as she leaned down to pick up her bag once more. “I’d just need to change real quick.”

“No. You ain’t got no business going where I gotta go.” Daryl hated to see the happiness fade out of her lovely green eyes and be replaced with disappointment and sadness. “Where I’m going…they ain’t nice people, don’t want to risk putting you in danger. I’ll drop you at Cassie’s.” He reached out and took the bag from her hands and slipped it on over her shoulders. Brushing an apology across her lips in the form of a kiss, Daryl looked down in to her eyes and regretted putting the shimmer of tears that sparkled there. “I’m sorry.”

Trying not to let just how disappointed she was show, Sam nodded and glanced down at the floor as Daryl’s arms slipped from around her body. Quietly, she allowed him to take her hand and lead her back out the door they’d only just come in through. Once again on the back of his bike, far sooner than she’d expected to be, she once more put knotted her hair at the nape of her neck and donned the helmet. Leaning in to him, she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and closed her eyes to keep her sadness from spilling over her lashes. Holding on to Daryl as though he might disappear otherwise, Sam willed the time to move slowly as he drove towards Cassie’s house and hated that Collins was such a small town that the drive took only a handful of minutes. Sliding off the bike, Sam unbuckled the helmet and said, “I can hold on to this so you don’t have to keep up with it tonight, if you want?”

“It’s yours anyway, right?” Daryl said over the roar of the engine. He wanted to tell her to get back on the bike and take them both straight back to his house, but couldn’t leave his brother in the situation he was currently in since the men he’d shafted would likely kill him by sunrise if they didn’t have their money, plus interest, in hand. Reaching out, he grabbed hold of the strap on her bag and pulled her close, “I’ll make it up to you.”

“Be careful?” Sam leaned down and kissed Daryl deeply, an ominous feeling in her stomach had her desperate to beg him to stay, but knew he wouldn’t since his brother needed him. “Call me tomorrow night, ok?”

She stood on the sidewalk in the pitch of night and watched as his taillights faded from sight before heading in to Cassie’s house, thankful that her friend had not only left the back door unlocked, but also kept a light burning outside. Once she was inside the darkened house and completely alone, she realized she had no desire to be there and grabbed her keys that Cassie had tossed on to the dresser when she’d came home to trade cars. Scribbling a note on the pad of paper on the night stand, Sam briefly explained what had happened and told Cassie she would see her at lunch.

A short while later, she was quietly sneaking in to her house via the kitchen entrance when the room was suddenly flooded with light. “Mom! Holy crap, you scared me!”

“I scared you?” Donna Collins laughed and grabbed at her chest as though Sam had given her a heart attack. She’d been unable to sleep and had come down to the kitchen for some hot tea when the sound on someone at the back door had startled her momentarily until she’d realized it was just her daughter. “What on earth are you doing home? I thought you were spending the night with Cassie?”

“I was, but I changed my mind.” Putting her car keys on the hook by the door, Sam slipped the bag strap over her head and sat it on the kitchen counter. “Daryl and Cassie…I dunno, I just decided to come home.” She mumbled as she took a seat on one of the bar stools at the counter, inadvertently making her mother reconsider her thoughts about Daryl actually being involved with Sam instead of Cassie.

“Oh, honey, I’m sorry.” Donna smiled happily once her back was turned from Sam as she got down another mug and poured hot water in to it over a tea bag. She had obviously been wrong in her assumptions in regards to Sam being involved with Daryl and was pleased to find out that she’d been wrong. “It’s tough when your friend gets a boyfriend. I’m sure Cassie doesn’t mean to exclude you.”

“Hmm? Oh, uh…yeah. I know she didn’t mean it.” Sam accepted the mug from her mother and added in a heaping amount of honey to it. “I’m kind of tired. I’m gonna take this upstairs with me and go to bed soon. Thanks again for the party, Mom.” Grabbing her bag once more, not wanting to leave it in any location that might cause her mother to look inside and see the sexual items that were inside, Sam heaved it over her shoulder and carried it upstairs with her mug in hand.

Once in her bedroom, Sam turned on the light on her night stand, sat the mug down and stripped off her clothes. Taking a quick shower, she toweled off and slipped on a pair of underwear and an oversized shirt and slid between the cool sheets alone…which was so not how she had intended on spending the evening. Staring up at the faintly glowing stars on her ceiling, her mind raced and played back every single second of the night. After a few minutes, Sam realized her brain wasn’t going to shut down any time soon and rolled over to turn on the lamp once more. Leaning over the edge of the bed, she rooted around in the bag she’d dropped there until her hand closed around the rim of the notebook Daryl had given her, which she had managed to grab off his kitchen table as he was all but dragging her out of the house.

Rolling back on to the bed, Sam bent her knees under the covers and propped the notebook up on her thighs. The blank piece of paper, the first one in the notebook, was momentarily daunting until words started to form in her mind. Smiling, merely a gentle lift to the corner of her mouth, Sam murmured the words aloud as she scribbled down the possible lyrics that were running through her mind.

_“Don’t you wanna stay here a little while...Don’t you wanna hold each other tight…Don’t you wanna fall asleep with me tonight…_

*Song: Don't You Wanna Stay: Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson**


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember how I said this was a slow burn? Just keep that in mind. LOL Thanks for the kudos.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_The Present: Thursday night, March 8th. 2012_

Not wanting to risk being caught eavesdropping since the discussion on the stage was obviously over, Daryl slipped from the hallway and crossed the auditorium to quietly make his way to the kitchen in search of Jacey. Poking his head in the steamy room, the boiling pots and burning wood in the stoves giving off more heat than could be filtered out the door that was propped open at the other end of the room, Daryl spotted Jacey sitting on one of the counters next to where Donna Collins was working on dinner; golden unruly hair barely contained by the braided pigtails on either side of her head and happily swinging her red sneakered feet back and forth.

Oblivious to the tension that filled the room any time Daryl was near the Collins family, Jacey broke in to a smile when she saw her brother lurking in the door way and called out to him around the chunk of homemade bread she had just shoved in to her mouth. "Daryl! I thought you were lost again."

"Nah, just needed to check something out." Daryl mustered up the courage to enter the kitchen and face Sam's mother for the first time since showing back up in Collins. Between skipping official meals on most days and the hustle and bustle of meal times the few times he'd shown up, Daryl had managed to avoid the scariest of all mother's in the world; the one that could still make him feel like a fucked up twenty six year old who'd never amount to anything but the guy who'd knocked up the town sweetheart and walked out on her barely a year later. Nodding his head slightly, he mumbled, "Mrs. Collins."

"Daryl." Donna stopped stirring the contents of the stock pot long enough to turn towards her former son in law and glare at him disapprovingly. His long locks were disheveled and in desperate need of a washing, as was the grime smeared arms that poked out of an equally dirty sleeveless shirt and vest. "You were shown where the showers are located, weren't you?"

"Daryl said he don't need no shower because he won't catch shit if he smells like soap." Jacey happily pointed out after polishing off the last of the bread she'd been clutching.

"Justina Clementine! You will watch your language or you'll be dinning on soap, young lady!" Donna barked out sharply, chastising the child for using such foul language, something she hated and never would tolerate. When Jacey mumbled an apology and dropped her head to look at her lap, she turned quickly to Daryl and said, "As the adult you should probably learn to watch your language when you're around children."

"Yes, ma'am," Daryl followed Jacey's example and ducked his head, too, wanting to avoid the stern glare he was getting from Donna. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Maggie slip in to the room and edge along the wall to stand near Carol, who was being amazingly quiet. He had never been one to be comfortable with being the center of attention and that aspect of his personality had not changed in the slightest after the turn. Peeking up at Mrs. Collins from beneath the canopy of his bangs, he apologized, "I'm sorry. Ain't really used to being near kids...except Carl and he's got a worse mouth on him than I do."

"Yes, well, it's been a long time, but I'm sure you can remember my position on manners and cursing." Donna felt the corner of her mouth try to lift in a tiny smile, more than a little pleased with herself for making Daryl cringe and apologize. Sure, she'd changed a lot with age, as well as the outbreak, but this mother bear still wanted the man who'd broken her daughter's heart to remember just who it was he was dealing with. Allowing the smile to fully form, she chuckled lightly as she shook her head and turned back to the pot. "Now, what about that shower?"

"I've threatened to hose him off in his sleep, but it didn't faze him." Carol piped in from across the room, where she was pulling fresh baked rolls out of the oven. Her remark earned her a steely glare from Daryl, which she shrugged off. Everyone else in their family had showered and gotten new clothes, it was far past time for him to follow suit and at least make an attempt to fit in here.

"We could just haul him in to the showers and force him to clean up." Donna nodded towards Daryl, who was staring at the women in stony silence. She'd kept her ears to the ground since he'd shown back up in town, had shared more than one discussion about the matter with Cassie and had come to the conclusion that she knew exactly what would get him to take a shower and find clean clothes. Shrugging nonchalantly, she glanced at Daryl out of the corner of her eye and said, "Or he could just do it himself, since I doubt he's going to get in Sam's good graces smelling the way he does."

Daryl offered up only a grunt in response to their comments, not really knowing what to say anyway. He glared across the room at Carol and thought about making a snide remark in regards to how ridiculous she looked wearing that shirt with the flowers all over it like a some mother from a fifties television show minus the skirt and pearls, but opted to just keep his mouth shut. Glowering from being made fun of, he turned to Jacey, the only one who hadn't offered up any scathing remarks about his hygiene and asked, "You ok staying here until dinner?"

"Yep," Jacey nodded her head and swung her legs that dangled off the counter, the rubber soles of her sneakers thudding lightly against the cabinet below. "Where are you going? Aren't you gonna eat dinner?"

"I ain't hungry." Daryl offered one more glare towards Carol and Maggie, who were working hard at avoiding his stare, before turning and leaving the room.

"I think ya'll hurt his feelings." Maggie said softly in the off chance that Daryl was still within earshot. "That really wasn't nice."

"It wasn't nice, sure." Donna picked up the stock pot and carried it over to the sink to drain the water. After dumping the vegetables in to the strainer, she turned back to Carol and Maggie and wiped her hands on the towel that was stuck in the waistband of her apron. "But it was necessary."

Daryl stalked towards the hallway, wanting to put as much distance between himself and the distasteful glint in the eyes of Donna Collins. Didn't matter to her that he'd changed, all she would ever see was the messed up young man that walked out on her daughter only a handful of months after losing their daughter. Cutting the corner a little too sharply, he cursed when he banged his shoulder and caused the tip of the crossbow to clang loudly against the doorframe. He stopped long enough to check the foot rail at the end of the crossbow before readjusting it over his shoulder, but the break in his departure was long enough to let his anger creep up and spill over. Cursing one more, this one with a bit more ferocity, Daryl balled up his fist and punched the door that closed off the auditorium from the hallway that led outside. Seeing the crack that split beneath his knuckles sent his anger receding as he realized that punching things wasn't going to get anything accomplished and certainly wouldn't make anyone in the Collins family believe his claims of the change that had happened to him since he'd left Sam. With a sigh, Daryl turned to leave, but stopped when he found Sam standing just a few feet away from him. The exit door was open, allowing the rapidly fading afternoon sun to filter in and fill the narrow hallway with a soft glow.

"Hey," Sam said after a few moments of silence passed between them. She could tell he was upset about something, the rigid stance and tension that radiated off of him giving away Daryl's feelings...at least to Sam, who could apparently still read him like a book. "You're here earlier than I expected. Everything ok?"

"Yeah. Fine." Daryl dropped his head enough to avoid looking directly at Sam, letting his long bangs hide his eyes. "Jacey was hungry. Ain't got shit at my place."

"Oh. She eats like a linebacker. It's quite impressive." Sam chewed on her lip and wondered what to say next, since it was clear Daryl wasn't going to be the one to do much of the talking. Sam heard the squeal of a young child coming from the kitchen and recognized it as the one Jacey made when she was laughing. "She's probably in there messing up dinner. I should probably go save my mom. Um, are you staying for dinner or...?" Sam let her question fade away as she took a few steps closer to Daryl, who seemed more upset than tense. "Seriously, are you ok?"

"I said I'm fine...and I ain't hungry." Daryl brushed past Sam, avoiding her watchful stare, and stalked down the hallway to disappear out the backdoor.

"Ok, then." Sam whispered to herself as Daryl stormed away from her; his mood a complete change from what it had seemed at the school only a little while ago. She turned and headed towards the kitchen, pausing long enough in the doorway to inspect the damaged door; gingerly running her finger over the freshly split wood as her mind pieced together the sound she'd heard up on stage shortly before seeing Daryl. Curious as to what had caused the outburst, Sam carried on to the kitchen to question the last people that had seen Daryl before her.

"Hey, sweetheart." Donna met Sam in the doorway with a stack of plates in her hand. "I didn't expect you this early, thought you'd play some more. Sounded real nice today."

"What'd you say to Daryl?" Sam blocked her mother's way to the auditorium to start setting up for dinner, crossing her arms over her chest in the doorway. The last place Daryl had been was the kitchen and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that his bad mood was likely due to something that had been said by her loving, but demeaning mother. Although, now that Sam realized there were several pairs of very curious stares being thrown their way she actually regretted bombarding her mother at that particular moment.

"I didn't do anything to him, Samantha. I simply suggested he take a shower. The man is covered in dirt and God knows what else." Donna shook her head as she sat the plates down on the counter before gently. Placing her hands on her daughters crossed arms, she eased her in to the auditorium for a little bit of privacy. "Honestly, you'd have thought I suggested something horrible to him, but I promise all I did was ask why he hasn't taken advantage of a shower and clean clothes, Sam. You'd think he would want that after being out there for so long."

To Sam, his sudden bad mood made sense now, but her mother would never understand that what she'd done was suggest that Daryl wasn't good enough to be around them the way he was, or that he offended her by not conforming to the standards of the community. Once again, Donna Collins had made Daryl feel like he was nothing, just a nobody, when all she'd been doing was asking why he wasn't making himself comfortable in town. Knowing that by trying to explain that to her mother would solve nothing, Sam sighed since she didn't know what to do. Her heart wanted her to chase after Daryl and make sure he was all right, but her brain was screaming at her to leave him alone, it wanted nothing to do with him. It was, overall, a very confusing situation.

Picking up from Sam's quietness that the conversation was over, Donna stepped back in to the kitchen and picked up where she had left off, preparing for dinner. As she walked back in to the room with Sam, the stack of plates back in her hands, Donna said, "I just don't understand why he got so upset over a little comment about how filthy he is, Sam."

"You wouldn't understand, Mom." Sam turned away from her mother to go find Daryl, her heart wining out in the end. As she headed back across the dimly lit room towards the hallway he'd just stormed out of, Sam muttered, "You wouldn't understand him, because you never got to know him."


	40. Chapter 40

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so here's the thing....I will be out of town next week on my usual posting days for Dragon Con. I am not going to risk taking my flash drive with me to update, because I am afraid I will leave it in Atlanta and be screwed. So, here's a little poll. Would you guys like for me to post 2 chapters today and 2 chapters tomorrow to make up for the lack of posting next week, or just resume normal posting when I get back to internet land in like 11 days?

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_The Past: Sunday, July 4th - Monday, July 5th, 1999_

"Just a few more minutes, Mom." Sam pleaded, her voice muffled due to her head being shoved beneath the pillow. She'd stayed up later than she had planned to the night before, writing down the lyrics to a new song that never managed to come together, until nearly five in the morning. She felt the bed move beside her and peeked out from beneath the pillow to glare at the person who had flopped down on the mattress. "Cass? What are you doing here?"

"Well, let's see," Cassie held out her hand and counted off the reasons with her fingers. "I got home last night and found your car gone. Didn't see you at church this morning and you haven't returned my calls. So, I'm here...finding out what happened."

"Church? What time is it?" Sam flung the pillow off of her head to glance at the clock on her nightstand, her eyes widening when she noticed it was well after lunch. "I can't believe I slept this late. I wonder why no one woke me up for church."

"Your mom said you looked exhausted, so she let you sleep in. The whole family is downstairs getting ready to eat." Frowning down at Sam, Cassie asked, "What happened last night?"

"Merle happened." Sam frowned, sat up and crawled out from beneath the covers to get ready for lunch. "Like, maybe fifteen minutes after we got back to Daryl's house his stupid brother called and said he was in some kind of trouble. So, I got ditched at your house so he could go rescue Merle. You weren't there, so I decided to come on home."

"Dude, that sucks. I'm sorry. I know how much you were looking forward to last night." Cassie winced and reached underneath her buttocks to relocate whatever was poking at her. Pulling out a leather bound notebook, she inspected the cover and noted the initials etched in to the corner along with an intricate web of flowers. "Hey, is this what Daryl got you for your birthday?"

"Yes, isn't it gorgeous?" Sam boasted as she slipped on a pair of jeans and started searching for a shirt, settling on a lavender button up tossed over the back of an arm chair. Looking up after buttoning the last button, she saw Cassie had the notebook open and was clearly reading the song she'd worked on last night. Stepping up on to the king size bed, Sam towered over her friend and snatched the notebook out of her hands. "Hey! No looking! You know the rules."

"Like I knew you'd already christened it?" Cassie proclaimed and feigned an apologetic expression as Sam jumped down from the bed and tied the leather strands on either side of the notebook closed. "What little I saw looked pretty good though. I guess last night wasn't a total failure."

"Hmm, writing a song or finally having sex with the guy I lo...with Daryl." Sam's eyes grew wide as she realized what words almost came out of her mouth and how easily they'd flowed. Glancing up from the notebook in her hands, she saw the knowing smirk on Cassie's face. "Oh shut your hole, Delaney."

"Hey, at least you finally admit it. Of course, I knew before you did because I know you better than you know yourself." Cassie chuckled and crawled off the bed. "I'm starving. Let's go see what's for lunch."

Sam followed Cassie out of the bedroom and downstairs, not at all shocked to see the living room full of children who were wound up from being forced to sit still through church services and running around the room at full speed. Her oldest brother had three and Josh had two, she could only imagine what this room would look like when David and Tyler started having children and, eventually, herself. Sidestepping a serious game of chase, Sam and Cassie went in to the kitchen to see if any help was needed in there.

"Good afternoon, sleepyhead." Donna said as her daughter wandered in to the kitchen, still looking half asleep despite being fully dressed and ambulatory. "You looked so exhausted when you came in last night I thought I'd let you get some sleep."

"Thanks, I was more tired than I thought apparently. Need any help in here?" Sam slid past her mother and opened the refrigerator to pull out the ever present jug of sweet tea, spilling a good bit of it over the edge of the pitcher as she put it on the counter. "Or should I just avoid the kitchen altogether so there's no disaster?"

"You girls could set the table for me." Donna handed Sam a kitchen towel to clean up the mess. "Oh, Sam! Your grandmother called this morning. She wants you to come and visit this week. I told her you'd be down tomorrow around lunch, I figured a few days at the beach with your grandmother would be a nice treat."

While Sam was very excited about spending a few days with her grandmother, her most favorite person in the family, she couldn't help but frown because the visit would mean she wouldn't see Daryl at all. But, she had to be honest about the fact that her grandmother wouldn't be around forever and, at eighty three years old, her presence definitely wasn't a guaranteed thing. "Ok, great. Yeah, I could use a few days at the beach. Plus, I miss Grandma Em something awful. I hate she couldn't make it to the party this year."

"Me, too, but Mom isn't keen on driving these days and absolutely refuses to let any of us drive all the way down there and bring her here. I don't know what we're going to do about Christmas this year." Donna lifted a pan off the stove and placed it on a trivet on the counter by Sam, who almost drooled down her chin at the sight of her Mom's fettuccini Alfredo. "Go on and set the table, girls. Lunch is ready."

Later that night, the phone rang shrilly while Sam was packing for the impromptu beach trip. Crawling across the piles of shorts and tank tops, she grabbed the phone on the third ring and breathlessly answered, "Hello?"

"Hey you." His voice came across the line, all gruff and coarse, yet sexy as hell. "Did I catch you at a bad time?" Across town, Daryl flopped down on the couch and toed off his boots, letting them fall on to the floor below.

"Of course not. I was just in the middle of packing." Sam leaned back on the bed, sprawling across the clothes she'd scattered about while deciding what to take with her to Savannah. "I got informed at lunch that I'm going to visit my grandmother for the week."

"Oh, well...shit. Guess that means I don't get to see you, huh?" Daryl grimaced, hating that his one night with Sam had been ruined because of his brother, who had barely even acknowledged what Daryl had done for him before hopping on his bike and heading towards Atlanta.

"I'll be back Friday. Um, my parents will be going to Birmingham to meet David's fiancés parents and start discussing wedding plans and I am technically supposed to go to Atlanta with Cassie to visit her cousin." Sam twisted the phone cord around her index finger and felt the butterflies start up in her stomach as she mentioned the next part of her plan. "But, Cassie said that if I wanted to just pretend I was with her and stay here with you, then she'd play along. I mean, if you'd even want to do that? Put up with me invading your house for two days."

"Hell yeah I would." Daryl replied with complete honesty. Although two days alone with Sam seemed like a slice of heaven, it was five days away and he wanted to at least see her before she went out of town. "Think you could come by the shop before you head out?"

"Absolutely. I'm leaving here about eight and need to get gas anyway, so I can stop by after that." Sam smiled brightly at the thought of spending the weekend with Daryl, no interruptions this time hopefully, and hated that it was still several days away. "I'm gonna miss you."

"Me, too." Daryl sat up and grabbed the pack of cigarettes he'd tossed down on to the coffee table before calling Sam. Fishing one out, he stood up to go outside to smoke it since the house had a no-smoking rule in the rental agreement. "I'll let you get back to packing. See you in the morning."

"Ok, goodnight. Sleep tight." Sam sighed dreamily as she sat the phone back on the base after Daryl wished her sweet dreams. Deciding that there was no point in packing too much stuff since she'd just be at the beach most of the time anyway, Sam gave up on being organized and simply stuffed a handful of shorts and tops in to the bag, along with several bikinis and suntan lotion. The real thing she needed to worry about packing was the bag she was going to take to Daryl's!

The next morning, armed with her luggage and guitar case, Sam piled in to her car after saying goodbye to her parents and headed towards town to get gas and see Daryl. After filling up her tank at the station, and grabbing the breakfast of champions of a cola and candy bar, Sam eased out of one parking lot and crossed the street in to another. She parked next to Daryl's bike, noted the lack of presence of Mr. Swain's personal truck, and headed inside the open garage bay door in search of Daryl. Finding him on the phone at the rear of the garage in the tiny office partially hidden by a cheap piece of painted plywood, she waited patiently nearby; letting her eye's drink their fill of him in hopes that doing so would last her the rest of the week, which was doubtful.

"Yes, sir," Daryl said in to the phone, his attention barely on the conversation he'd been having before Sam wandered in to the shop. Holding up his index finger to indicate he would only be a minute longer, he quickly jotted down what the caller wanted done on the car that was going to be brought in shortly and promised to have it done as soon as possible. "Not a problem. I'll call when it's done."

Hanging up the phone, he turned back to face Sam a split second before she launched herself in to his arms. Smiling down at her, Daryl held on to her tightly and gave her a kiss. "Morning."

"Definitely a good one now." Sam snuggled against his chest, relishing the feel of being in his arms again and yet, hating that she'd have to leave soon if she wanted to get to her grandmother's around lunch. Glancing up at Daryl, she asked, "Everything go ok the other night? No problems?"

"Yeah,” Daryl shrugged and tried not to look away from her worried gaze. "Just Merle being Merle's all. Hate it messed up our night." Since he'd only just got to the shop and hadn't started work yet so his hands were clean, Daryl reached up and brushed back a stray golden lock, tucking it behind Sam's ear and out of her face. "What time you gonna be back on Friday?"

"A little after lunch? Cassie's leaving for Atlanta by three, so if I want to keep up the appearance I'm going with her I need to be at her house by then. I'll just hang out there until you're done with work, I guess." Sam let her fingers wander up and down his arm, lightly tracing the soft skin of his triceps as she gazed up at him.

"Shit, uh...Swain's off this week. Gone off to Florida on vacation, so I gotta work late this week." Unwrapping his arms from Sam's waist, Daryl reached in to his pocket and pulled out his key ring; unwinding one from the set. "Here. Just have Cassie drop you off at my place before she goes."

"Are you sure? I don't mind waiting." Sam held on to the shiny key as though it was the most valuable piece of metal in the world. She'd never had a guy give her the key to his house. When Daryl nodded and shrugged, as though the gesture wasn't just the sweetest thing that had ever happened to Sam, she slipped it on to her key chain with a smile. "But, what about you? How're you gonna get in to your house?"

"I got my ways." Which basically amounted to jimmying the lock open, but Daryl didn't mention that. Best to just let Sam think he had a spare key outside or something. Reaching out, he wrapped his arms around her once more and pulled her close to him; hating that it would be four days before he could hold her again. "Surprised your grandmother didn't come up for your party, big affair it was and all."

"She usually does, but she doesn’t really like to drive lately. Eyesight goes at eighty three apparently. I generally go visit every summer. I mean, who passes up a free beach trip, right?" Sam grinned up at Daryl, oblivious to the fact that he'd never been on a beach vacation. Tracing her index finger over the red stitched patch with Dixon scrawled across it, she continued, "Grandma Em is pretty cool though. Paints, even sells some to local galleries, teaches me how to cheat at cards, stuffs me full of food...you know the whole grandma thing? She's my favorite person in my family."

"Well, have fun. Try not to forget us working folks." Daryl hid his insecurity behind a halfcocked grin; not wanting to let on that the thought of Sam off at the beach meeting guys more suited for her bothered him.

"Like I could." Sam replied honestly as she looked up at Daryl with eyes full of the affection she held for him. She reached up and pushed a swatch of chocolate colored bangs out of his eyes and watched as it fell back in to place slowly. Easing up on to the tips of her pastel pink painted toes, she pressed her lips against his softly. "Pretty sure you'd be hard to forget, Dixon."


	41. Chapter 41

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here you go, Debbie and Holly, since you both requested for the double posting til my trip. :) I will put up another around 7pm CST and then another before I leave work around 6am CST Wednesday morning, heck...I may even post a total of three tomorrow night. Just depends on how hectic work is and how my editing goes. :)
> 
> Thanks ladies for the reviews! I love them.
> 
> And hey, we're on the downward slope for posting...only 99 more chapters to go! Hahahaha

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_The Past: Friday, July 9th, 1999_

"I hate you have to leave so soon. Seems like you just got here." Emily Chastain handed her only granddaughter the bottle of syrup that she knew Sam would drown her waffles in, and frowned softly. "You sure you don't want to stay? There's a shrimp festival this weekend. I know how much you like shrimp."

"I already have plans, or I would." Sam thoroughly drenched the homemade waffles in a thick blanket of buttery syrup and sat the bottle down in the middle of the table. Looking up at her grandmother, she took in the kind green eyes and long flowing locks of soft white that she refused to cut short like most elderly women and smiled. Sam knew that if anyone in the family would accept Daryl and the love she had for him, it would be her grandmother, who never judged her and only offered love and acceptance in return. "Can I tell you a secret, Gran? Just between us? Well, and Cassie."

"You know you can tell me anything in the world, baby girl." Emily took a sip of the steaming herbal tea she had every morning for breakfast and studied Sam. She'd known from the first day of the visit that something was different about her granddaughter. Had taken note of the dreamy, wistful expressions, the romantic tones of the songs she played nightly out on the back porch, and the softly spoken phone calls late at night...those she couldn't miss since she wasn't able to sleep as soundly as she once had and often paced around the darkened house at night. Giving Sam a knowing smile, she said, "You're in love, aren't you?"

"Is it that noticeable?" Sam chuckled before shoving a forkful of waffles in to her mouth. Sighing dreamily, she swallowed and said, "He's just the sweetest, most amazing guy I have ever met, Gran. When I am with him...it's like nothing else could compare to how I feel when he smiles at me."

"So, tell me all about him? And, when do I get to meet this young man that's swept my granddaughter off her feet?" She watched as a dark cloud flittered in to settle in Sam's eyes and frowned at her granddaughter. "What's wrong, dear?"

"Nothing, well...it's just that he's a little older and he's not exactly what Mom and Dad want me to bring home as a potential partner, you know?" Sam pushed aside the plate of soggy waffles, something she'd normally never do, but the need to gain reflection and advice from someone she respected dearly sent her hunger in to hiding. "I mean, you know Mom and Dad, right?"

"I'm familiar, yes." Emily chuckled in spite of the tone of the conversation. She'd never fully been able to comprehend how she had managed to raise her daughter to become such a judgmental and close minded person. Pushing up the sleeves of her multicolored flowery robe, she leaned her elbows on the table and stared at Sam with nothing but seriousness in her gaze. "Baby girl, only you can choose who you love. No one else can do that for you. You have to let your heart be your compass...you follow your heart and don't worry about anything else."

"Is it really that easy though? Daryl's a good seven years older and he's a mechanic, a heck of one, really, but all my parents are going to see is some blue collar, barely high school educated guy that works on cars." Sam worried her bottom lip with her teeth and idly picked at one of the hand stitched flowers on the tablecloth.

"Sam, I can tell you from experience that worrying about what other people think about you or the people you love will lead you to nothing but unhappiness." Emily sat down the teacup and decided to tell her granddaughter a story that no one else in her life now had ever heard. "Years ago, many years actually, when I was just a young girl...not much younger than you really, I met a young man that I fell head over heels for. We used to hang out after school, he'd walk me home some days, and even took me fishing a few times. Oh, I loved him dearly, Sam. But, his family wasn't well off, in fact...they barely made enough to provide the basics, so he dropped out of school so he could work and help his family. I'd still sneak off to see him, even take him lunch some days, but my father found out and forbade me to see him. Simply because his family wasn't as well to do as ours...something that didn't bother me in the slightest." She paused long enough to take another sip of tea to wet her parched mouth and studied her granddaughter who reminded her of herself in more than just looks, but in creativity and the love she had inside of her. "Sam, I let my father dictate who I could and could not marry. Sure, I met your grandfather a few years later and, being of a suitable family, we married and I loved him very much. But, there's not a day that goes by that I don't think of Bobby Marcum...even sixty years later."

Emily smiled softly as her mind conjured up an image of her first love; his dark hair that held a cowlick smack in the center of his head that refused to be tamed, his lopsided smile and sparkling blue eyes. "A girl never forgets her first love. Doesn't matter what happens in life, there will always be a soft spot for the first one you fall in love with."

Shortly after breakfast, Sam packed up her belongings that had managed to get scattered throughout the beach house in spite of how much she had tried to keep it contained. Once everything was located, she hauled down the suitcase and two guitar cases, one containing the shiny new Taylor acoustic guitar in bright blue that had to have set her grandmother back several hundred dollars. Sam loaded her stuff in to her car and went back inside to find her grandmother to say goodbye, locating her on the glassed in sunporch in front of her easel. She peered at the splashes of color on the canvas and even cocked her head to the side, but was unable to figure out what the painting was. "Is it a flower?"

"No, dear. It's a vagina." Emily stated matter-of-factly as she put down her paintbrush and rainbow splattered pallet of paint. Shrugging, merely a gentle lift of her shoulder as she glanced at the partially finished painting. "I think it's going to be a big thing...paintings of female sexual organs. Zeke, over at the gallery downtown, is going to do a whole showing based on it. You should come."

"Yeah, um...not to be rude, but I don't really want to look at lady parts with my Grandma." Sam shook her head and laughed while avoiding looking directly at the rosy colored hues of what she hoped to be an unnamed vulva, because she didn't want to think about it belonging to her grandmother...or worse, one of her grandmother's friends. "Thanks for letting me visit. I'm going to miss you."

"Anytime you want to visit, you know where the key is." Emily stepped forward, a swirl of color in her silken flowery muu muu, she pulled her granddaughter close and gave her a tight hug. "Remember, let your heart be your compass, baby girl."

Just before two that afternoon, Sam pulled into Cassie's driveway and parked her car; hauling in all of her bags to swap out items between the one she took to her grandmother's and the one she'd packed for a weekend with Daryl. Once in her friend's bedroom, she dropped her bags and laid both of the guitar cases on the bed. "I'm going to have to leave one of these here. Don't think anyone would steal it out of my car, but I don't want to chance it."

"No prob. It'll be fine here." Cassie opened the new case, easily identifiable due to its lack of stickers and glitter paint, and inspected the latest instrument to be added to Sam's music room. "Gran did a good job."

"As always." Sam opted against taking the new guitar, simply because she'd end up getting absorbed in tuning it to her specifications and not Daryl. Plopping down on the floor cross- legged, she pulled out her toiletry bag and hairdryer from one suitcase and stuffed them in the other. Contemplating the selection for a few seconds, she added in one of the sundresses she hadn't worn at the beach and zipped the suitcase back up and shoved it over by the wall. "I'm ready."

"You sure you don't want to just hang out here? What are you gonna do there all day?" Cassie slipped her bag over her shoulder, grabbed her sunglasses of the vanity and headed out of the bedroom with Sam in tow.

"I dunno. I've got my guitar and he's got cable." Sam stood up and grabbed her belongings and followed Cassie out of the house to the car. "It's only for a few hours anyway, he said he'd be there a little after six. Heck, maybe I'll take a nap."

"Yeah, a nap...you'll probably need that extra rest." Cassie chuckled and backed out of the driveway; peering at Sam over the top of her neon green sunglasses before putting the car in drive and heading towards Daryl’s house.

“Have fun in Atlanta! Tell Suzie I said hello and thanks for the invite.” Sam called out to Cassie as she backed out of the driveway. She watched as her friend pulled out of the neighborhood, waving out the open window before turning out on to the main road.

With her guitar case slung over her shoulder and pink suitcase in one hand, Sam stood apprehensively at the carport entrance while fidgeting with the ring of keys. She slipped the key in to the lock and opened the door, peering inside before stepping over the threshold as though she might interrupt someone, even though she knew that the house was empty. She took off her cowboy hat, yet another birthday present from her grandmother, and laid it with her key ring on the counter. Nervously, Sam stood in the kitchen and chewed on her bottom lip for a moment before finally crossing through the room towards the hallway; dropping her guitar off in the living room as she passed through. She had never been inside Daryl’s bedroom either time she’d visited and was curious now to see what it looked like. Picking one of the two doors in the hallway, she nudged the door open with her foot and peeked inside to find it empty. Sam backed up and went to the other end of the hallway to the bedroom on the rear of the house and found it full of furniture.

Sam stowed her suitcase in the corner of the room on the other side of the dresser before kicking her sandals off and perching on the edge of Daryl’s bed. After bouncing experimentally on the mattress for no other reason than she didn’t know what else to do, Sam crawled up the bed and buried her face in the pillows; drinking in the scent of Daryl. 

And, that was how Daryl found her a little over three hours later.

Upon finding Sam out cold, fast asleep with her face buried in a pillow, Daryl grabbed a pair of pants and a shirt from his closet and slipped out of the bedroom and in to the bathroom. Work had been a grueling ten hour affair with only himself helming the wheel, he had been responsible for not only manning the phones, doing oil changes and other maintenance on vehicles, plus he’d had to make two runs in the wrecker. Now, he was sweaty and covered from head to toe in grime, grease and oil.

She didn’t know what had woken her from her unintentional slumber, but as quickly as she’d fallen asleep she had suddenly woke up. Groggily, Sam sat up in bed and rubbed at her eyes, momentarily confused as to where she was. Realizing that she had not only fell asleep, but that Daryl was home, she rolled off the bed and shuffled out of the bedroom in search of him; finding him standing in the kitchen.

“Hey, how long have you been here? I didn’t mean to fall asleep, you should’ve woke me up.” Sam asked as she made her way in to the kitchen, somehow sleepy enough to yawn twice during the whole six steps it took.

“Ain’t been here long.” Daryl smiled at Sam, who appeared to still be half asleep as she stood in the middle of the kitchen and rubbed her eyes. Reaching out to her, he pulled Sam in to his arms and peered down in to her sleepy, heavy lidded eyes. “Looked too damn cute to wake up.”

“Hmm, I doubt.” Sam smiled up at Daryl, while recalling the line of drool she’d wiped off upon waking and seriously doubted she had looked cute during her nap. “Did you miss me terribly? ‘Cause I missed you.”

“More than you know.” Daryl dipped his head to kiss her, pressing his lips to hers and pulling her tightly against his body. Sam smelled like the beach, like sun and surf with a hint of the sweet smell of strawberries from her shampoo. Pulling back from their kiss, he pushed a lock of golden, sun lightened hair back and tucked it behind her ear. “What’s the plans? Wanna go out?”

While shaking her head side to side, Sam slid a hand beneath the hem of Daryl’s shirt and caressed the soft skin off his back just above the waistband of his dark gray pants. She knew she had missed him something awful while she’d been out of town, their nightly conversations having not been enough to quell her need to be with him and Sam just wanted it to be the two of them that night. “Why don’t we just stay in tonight?”


	42. Chapter 42

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

 

_The present: Thursday night, March 8th, 2012_

 

Several minutes behind Daryl already, Sam quickened her pace down the hallway in search of him. Heading out the back door, she was surprised to find that the sky had darkened far more than it should have at that time and the wind was picking up drastically, signifying the approach of a thunderstorm that was not anticipated, one of the many downfalls to society as it was now was the lack of warning for changing weather. Using the hair tie on her wrist, Sam pulled her long locks in to a knot at the nape of her neck to keep it from blowing around with the wind. She scanned the area just outside of the building, but saw no sign of Daryl.

Sam had barely made it two blocks in the direction of Daryl’s house when the first fat raindrop fell from the dark clouds above. Picking up her pace, she carried on in her quest to locate Daryl and made it the rest of the way to his house and to the safety of the carport before the heavens opened up and began to drench the small town. Standing on the top step, Sam knocked on the familiar door several times to no avail; Daryl had either not come back to his house or had no interest in coming to the door. Feeling incredibly stupid for chasing after him when she had no clue which direction he’d gone in, Sam stood at the edge of the carport and said a silent prayer that the thick sheets of rain would let up so she could dart back to where she’d come from.

A good fifteen minutes passed and Mother Nature had not relented in her rainy assault. Realizing that she was either going to have to resort to camping on Daryl’s carport or suck it up and get wet, Sam chose the latter and darted out of the safety of the carport. She was soaked to the bone by the time her feet left the driveway and stepped on to the road. By the time Sam made it all the way back to the town hall, she was so drenched that even the insides of her boots made squishing noises with each step.

“Sam! My goodness, you’re going to catch your death!” Lindy Collins, Sam’s sister in law who was married to Bo, exclaimed as she came out of the storage closet with extra lanterns in her arms. “What are you doing running around in the rain?”

“I was looking for someone and didn’t make it back in time.” Sam shook herself off like a dog while standing just inside the hallway from the exit. Deciding against eating dinner, opting for warmth and dry clothes, she glanced at Lindy and said, “I’m going to go on home…not hungry anyway. Could you have someone drop Jacey off at the house later?”

“You know, Sam, don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re looking a little tired. How about I take Jacey home with us and you get some sleep?” Lindy cocked her head, her sandy blonde bob falling to the side, and inspected Sam; worried about how she was doing. She knew all too well that Sam had a tendency to neglect basic needs when stressed out, like sleeping and eating, and judging by the dark smudges under her sister in law’s tired green eyes, Lindy figured this time was no different. “Go on. I’ll make sure she gets to school, don’t worry about Jacey. Take care of yourself, ok?”

Several hours after Sam had relented to Lindy’s offer, she was still wide awake and sitting in her apartment completely alone. The silence in the apartment was deafening as she gave up on trying to sleep and crawled down from the loft. Crossing the living room, Sam looked out the window and noticed that the area was pitch black, not a single lantern even glowing in one of the other apartments that she could see. Realizing it was later than she thought, since there was usually at least one light on until midnight, Sam stood in the middle of the darkened room and tried to decide what to do, eventually deciding on sneaking down to the gym for a bath.

While it wasn’t something she did very often, generally opting for a room temperature shower over taking the time to heat up a pans of water on the wood burning stove, there was at least the option for a hot bath if one desired thanks to the narrow, metal hot tubs used by weight lifters after grueling sessions for muscle recovery. They weren’t exactly comfortable and they were too deep to fill all the way to the top, but they served the purpose. Gathering up her shower caddy, filled with shampoo and conditioner plus shower gel that Ryan had procured for her on one of the trips, Sam headed towards the gym, careful to stay beneath the awning since it was still raining.

With only the faint beam of the flashlight to light the way, Sam passed through the cardio section of the gym and headed towards the bathrooms. There were two sets of showers, one in the women’s locker room and one in the men’s, and you had to cross through one of them to get to the sauna and whirlpool area. Using the men’s locker room access, since it was the closest and it was the middle of the night so no one was around, Sam crossed through the area with the toilets and sinks, went through the locker section and came out in the tiled room with showers lined up on either side. The major difference between the men’s and the women’s locker rooms, besides the urinals, was the fact that the women’s had separate stalls with curtains, whereas the men’s very much did not.

Which was how she stumbled across Daryl, the beam of her flashlight falling directly on his naked body as she came around the corner of the blue tiled wall. “OH!” Sam exclaimed breathlessly as her brain tried to tell her eyes to stop staring, which they were refusing to do.

He’d waited until the town had gone to sleep and fallen in to darkness before slipping out of the woods, drenched from the rain, and making his way downtown in search of the clothes and showers that his group had mentioned earlier in the week. Finding the empty store that held racks upon racks and overflowing bins full of clothes unlocked, Daryl had let himself in and pilfered the selection until he found something suitable to wear before sliding along the darkened walkway to the fitness center to take a shower.

There had been some debate about taking the shower in the first place, of course. One part of him wanted to give Donna Collins a general fuck you and remain the way he was, while the other part of him desperately wanted to please the woman and, hopefully, Sam. He had assumed that by partaking in the facilities in the middle of the night that he’d be alone, but clearly he had assumed incorrectly. With the cool water sluicing over his body, Daryl didn’t bother to look back at the person who had entered the darkened shower area until, that is, the beam of their flashlight stayed focused directly on him.

“You mind?” Daryl muttered, his hands pressed against the cool tile while his head was still beneath the flow of rainwater. Her gasp of surprise, merely a quick intake of air, was blocked by the sounds of water spilling over his ears, but Sam’s exclamation was heard loud and clear. Daryl pulled his head out from the stream of water and shook his head, his long locks sending droplets of water flying out around him, and he turned his head slightly to the side to see who’d suddenly crashed his private shower time; shocked to find Sam standing behind him. “Um, hey.”

“I am so sorry! I didn’t think anyone would be in here!” Sam cried and finally dropped the stream of light to the floor instead of Daryl’s bare ass. Embarrassed that she’d been caught ogling his naked form, a truly spectacular one at that, she turned away too quickly and slipped on the wet floor to land directly on her back, sending the caddy full of toiletries spilling out onto the tiles.

Daryl gave no thought to his lack of clothing and darted across the slippery tiled floor to help Sam, kneeling next to her. Leaning over Sam, he asked, “You alright?”

“Just dying from embarrassment, but otherwise fine.” Sam squeezed her eyes shut and asked a silent prayer to whomever was in charge upstairs to just teleport her out of her current situation. Cracking one eye, she noticed just how close Daryl was to her and just how very naked he still was. “You’re very naked.”

“Not like you ain’t seen it before.” Daryl cocked a wry smile as he helped Sam sit up. Reaching out, he grabbed the flashlight that was laying on the floor beside her and ran a hand softly over the back of her head. “D’you hit your head hard?”

“Not hard enough to block this from my memory.” Sam ducked her head and tried to avoid Daryl’s worried gaze, and his man parts that were dangling not far from her left arm as he inspected the back of her head. Daryl had always possessed a nicely shaped figure, one that had sent Sam’s heart rate skyrocketing whenever he’d taken off his clothes, but suffice it to say…the apocalypse had been kind in at least one way for Daryl as he was now lean and chiseled in a very nice way. Sam blushed as his leg brushed against her forearm, the barest touch of their skin sent a firestorm of tingles racing through her body. Even after all these years, there was no denying that Daryl Dixon set her body on fire like no other man had ever been able to do. Closing her eyes once more, Sam repeated herself, “You’re very naked.”

“That all you can think about?” Daryl shook his head as he got up and went back to the shower to turn off the water, grabbing a nearby towel after doing so to wrap around his waist. Crossing back over to Sam, he held out a hand and helped her to her feet. “Why you in the men’s room anyway?”

“Sheer laziness.” Sam murmured as she started gathering up the items she’d spilled. Motioning towards the door on the other side of the showers, she explained, “It’s the closest to the bathtub thing in the other room. Like I said, I didn’t think anyone would be in here this late.”

“You’re taking a bath this late?” Daryl slid on the clean pair of dark gray pants beneath the towel without bothering to dry off his legs. Once they were on, he swiped the towel across his chest once before tossing it down on the bench and slipping on his shirt. Sitting down, he started putting on socks and boots, too.

“Yeah, I couldn’t sleep, so…” Sam let her explanation drift off as she stood next to the door that went in to the other room. With her belongings hugged tightly to her chest, she chewed on her bottom lip and waited until Daryl was dressed and gathering up his own belongings before saying, “Daryl, um…earlier when I saw you…you seemed upset. I just wanted to say, don’t let my mom get to you, ok?”

“Easier said than done.” Daryl crossed the area between them and offered Sam the flashlight she’d dropped earlier. Nodding towards the dark room she was about to go in to, he said, “Don’t seem too relaxing…taking a cold bath.”

“Oh, no…definitely a hot bath for me!” Sam chuckled and pointed her flashlight towards the older model wood burning stove that had been set up beneath the row of windows. In order to take a hot bath, she’d have to open the windows to let the smoke out from the fire and, while the pan of water was heating up, fill the tub part of the way with rainwater from the collection bin just outside the door. “It’s a pain actually, but once I get the fire going I can heat some water to put in to it, along with some of the rainwater from the container outside. I normally don’t bother with all the trouble.”

“Damn, that is a lot of trouble.” Daryl sat the stack of clothes in his arms down on a nearby counter and started loading wood in to the stove, in spite of Sam’s objections. “Least I can do is help get it started, otherwise you’ll be in here ‘til sunrise.”

“Ok, well then…I appreciate the help.” Sam sat her belongings on the table by the tub, taking out a candle and lighting it for extra light, before opening the windows and starting to gather water from outside. Before long, with the both of them working, she had a decent bath drawn. Before Daryl turned to leave, his dirty clothes hugged against his chest, Sam reached out and let her fingertips brush across his bare forearm. When he looked up at her, Sam offered him a soft smile. “Thank you.”

“Anytime.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Debbie for my review! I am going to probably update 2 more times before 7am CST (when I leave work) depending on how much down time I get to edit.


	43. Chapter 43

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here, have some drama!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Characters:_

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

__  
**The present: early Friday morning, March 9th, 2012**  
 ****

Judging by the shriveled pads of Sam’s fingers, she had been in the bath a lot longer than she thought or had planned to be, but the soothing warmth of the water was working its magic on her. Apparently, she was more stressed out than she had originally thought. Sam leaned her head back against the lip of the metal basin and closed her eyes, trying to relax even further and enjoy the rare alone time and silence.

A loud, sharp clang from somewhere nearby suddenly had Sam alert, eyes wide, and sitting up quickly from a sleep she didn’t realize she had fallen in to. Turning around in the tub, she glanced behind her to check the door located only a few feet across the room. Seeing that it was closed, Sam listened for any other strange noises and wondered if maybe she had dreamed the loud banging sound. She had just about decided that her imagination was playing tricks on her when she heard another sound, softer than the one before, but just as startling.

“Daryl?” Sam called out lightly, tentatively, hoping that maybe he hadn’t completely disappeared after helping her with the bath. Instead of hearing Daryl respond to her, Sam was met with a series of thumps and bumps coming from what sounded like inside the gym, but thanks to the sounds of her ragged breathing and racing heart Sam wasn’t a hundred percent sure which direction the noises were coming from.

Deciding that it was well past time to get out of the bath anyway, Sam reached between her feet and pulled the plug to drain the water. Grabbing the towel she’d placed on the edge of the tub, Sam stood up and quickly started drying off. After a half-assed attempt at getting dry, she pulled on the clothes she’d brought with her, jogging pants and a long sleeved shirt with flip flops, and gathered up the rest of her belongings. She blew out the candle, but left it on the counter since it was still full of hot wax and shut the windows before leaving. After a small pep talk, she opted to go out the backdoor instead of through the darkened gym; at least outdoors she had the option of running in the opposite direction instead of trying to navigate through a dark room full of fitness equipment.

With her basket full of toiletries and dirty clothes tucked close to her chest, Sam peeked out the backdoor and shined the flashlight in both directions before slipping out in to the nearly dark alleyway; instantly wondering if she’d made the best decision about not going through the gym instead. As quietly as possible, she headed towards the main street; regretting her choice in footwear as each thwack of her flip flops echoed with each step. She made it only about ten steps when someone stepped out of the shadows in front of her, obstructing the exit to the main roadway.

Blocking the end of the alleyway in that direction, the figure loomed at the edge of the shadows. The beam of her flashlight fell weakly at the person’s feet, on the black dress shoes and the hemline of their black slacks, judging by which Sam was fairly certain the figure was a man. He was definitely taller than her, the top of his head seemed to be above the window ledge, but that wasn’t uncommon for Sam since most everyone was taller than her.

The figure was silent. Unmoving. Threatening.

Sam didn’t know exactly what frightened her. The man wasn’t moving towards her, wasn’t doing anything overtly threatening, but something in the situation was causing the fine hairs on the back of her neck to stand at attention. Her gut instinct was screaming at her to turn tail and run. Which, was what she ended up doing.

Spinning around, Sam headed back in the direction from which she came, intending on using the rear entrance to the alley way, which was not only darker, it was also a longer distance to her apartment, but was hopefully suspicious figure free. She made it a total of two steps when she heard him coming at her, closing the gap between them, his footsteps hurried and clumsy as he charged towards her. Although there had been a good ten feet between them and she was moving at a fairly steady pace, the person pursuing her closed the gap quickly. Whipping her head around, Sam’s eyes widened when she realized the man was close enough to reach out and grab her.

Dressed completely in black, a swatch of white fabric at his throat clued Sam in to his identity; placing him as one of the members of Daryl’s group that had been in the infirmary since their arrival. His normally rich chocolate brown skin was ghostly pale and his eyes were wide and intense as he reached out in a failed attempt at grabbing Sam’s shoulder. Sam’s screams filled the air as his hands closed on her right arm on his second attempt.

Without stopping, Sam tried to jerk her arm from his grasp, but only managed to cause herself to stumble in the process. Tripping over what she thought was just a small puddle, but in reality was a gap in the concrete, she plunged to the ground. Everything happened so fast that she didn’t have time to prepare for the fall, instead Sam skidded forward on her hands and knees; bath supplies and her flashlight spilling across the ground in various directions. He was on her in an instant, grabbing at her hair and clawing at her clothes as Sam struggled against him. Managing to roll over on to her back, she reached out in time to brace against his assault by putting her left hand against his neck and holding her arm rigid. Frantically, she tugged at the hem of her shirt with her other hand, trying to get beneath the material and grab the pocket knife she’d clipped on to the waist band of her pants.

They struggled with one another. His hands slapped and grabbed at her, tugging at her clothes and swatting at her as she fought against him. Thick, viscous liquid spilled from his mouth, dribbled down his chin and dripped down on to her chest, pooling on to the white cotton of her shirt. Bile rose in Sam’s chest as something slid from his mouth to land on her neck, a chunk of something warm and squishy slid across her skin to land on the ground beside her.

Finally, the knife was loose from her waistband and in her hand! Sam’s left arm gave out moments before she flicked open the blade of the knife. He fell against her, his body flopping on to hers; his jaw snapping and teeth gnashing. With the knife grasped tightly in her hand, Sam brought it up quickly and jabbed the blade in to the side of his head just above his ear. The sound of the blade crushing through his skull, the sticky feel of blood spilling out on to her hand, and the putrid smell of death caused her stomach to churn as she fought her way out from beneath the dead weight of his body.

Sam stood there next to his body, her hand pressed against her mouth as she fought against her body’s desire to vomit. She heard sounds of shoes against wet pavement and whipped her head around to find Cassie and Tyler barreling down the alley way towards her.

“Sam!” Cassie screamed, skidding to a halt before she ran slap over Sam. Flinging her arms around her best friend, she pulled Sam tightly against her in a bear hug before pulling back to stare at her with wide eyes and her hands clasped around Sam’s biceps. “Are you ok? Did he get you?”

“No,” Sam replied, her voice barely above a whisper as she started to go in to shock. It had been a long time since she’d had to face a roamer and she was clearly not as adjusted to the feeling as she needed to be. “He was just there…and then…”

“Cassie, take Sam back into the gym to clean up. I’m going to go find some help. We’ll need to check the area, make sure everyone else is ok.” Tyler leaned over and pulled the knife out of the walkers head and handed it to Cassie. “Take this with you. Be careful.”

“Come on, Sam. Let’s go get you cleaned up.” Cassie put her arm around Sam’s shoulder and directed her towards the fitness center. Glancing over her shoulder, she made eye contact with Tyler and mouthed for him to be careful, although she doubted he could make out what she said since it was still dark out.

Once they were inside the gym, Sam let Cassie lead her towards the locker rooms and in to the shower area. There wasn’t much she could do about the bloodied state of her clothing, but Sam stood there patiently while Cassie used a wet washcloth to mop the gore off her face, neck and hands.

“What in the heck happened? Why were you out here, Sam?” Cassie asked softly as she scrubbed away the thick crimson blood away from Sam’s pale skin with shaky hands. “You could’ve been killed!”

“I took a bath.” Sam murmured. Her shirt was damp with blood and sticking to her skin and its coppery smell wafted up and suffocated her with the stench of death. Shaking her head, Sam stepped away from Cassie and started stripping off her clothes. “I can’t…I feel it all over me.”

“Ok, um…you go ahead and shower. I’ll see if I can find any clothes in the lockers.” Cassie watched helplessly as Sam peeled the blood splattered clothes off and let them fall to the floor. Once Sam was in a shower stall and the water was running, Cassie sat the flashlight down on the counter and started going through the lockers in hopes of finding something for Sam to wear home.

Outside, Tyler ran down the street towards the infirmary. While he didn’t know the man that had attacked Sam, he was aware that Father Gabriel had come in earlier in the week with Daryl’s group and had been in the makeshift hospital with an infection. Once he was within view of the infirmary, Tyler noticed the busted out front door, the shards of glass spilling across the sidewalk. He knew he shouldn’t go in there alone, so he stood in the doorway and let the beam of his flashlight sweep across the front room. Beds were knocked over, mattresses dumped on to the floor and lanterns busted, signaling that there had been a struggle there. Stepping just inside the broken doorway, he shined the flashlight over in to a corner and saw the bloody mess that had been left behind. Cursing, Tyler stepped back out on to the street. He needed to check other residences just in case and needed help doing that. Turning away from the infirmary, he darted across the front lawn of the municipal building and headed towards Bo’s house.

Rick was fast asleep. Sprawled across the king size bed in the house he shared with Carl and Judith. The sudden sound of fists pounding on the front door pulled him from his slumber. Instantly alert, he grabbed his revolver from the bed stand and headed down the hallway to see who was at the front door. Peering out the side window, he saw one of Sam’s brothers staring back at him, but for the life of him he couldn’t remember which one it was.

“Yeah?” He asked, poking his head out through a small opening. Rick glanced around, checking past the man on his porch to check their surroundings. While this place seemed safe, the citizens seemed friendly, there was one thing he’d learned since the outbreak and that was to always be aware of his surroundings.

“Hate to bother you this late, but there’s been an incident at the infirmary.” Josh Collins cringed inside at having to deliver the bad news. Each and every time he’d had to do so, his mind flashed back to the night when his wife, Rebecca, had been mauled after the turn and the face of the doctor when he’d informed him that she had died. “I’m sorry to say that two of your members have died.”

“Which two?” Rick let the door fall open all the way and motioned for the man to come on inside, shutting the door and locking it once they were both in the foyer. “What happened?”

“Father Gabriel died during the night and turned, attacked the boy, Noah, before getting outside. He attacked Sam, too. She’s ok though, shook up, but will be fine. Your other guy, Eugene? He’s fine, too.” Josh licked his lips, more out of nervousness than the need to wet them. “Bo’s got some people checking the area, making sure that’s the extent of the damage, but he wanted me to let you know…bring you down there.”

“Alright. Let me get dressed…tell my son where I’m going.” Rick turned to leave the room, but stopped at the entrance to the hallway and looked over his shoulder. “We’ll need to tell Daryl.”

A few short minutes later, they were standing on the steps to Daryl’s house. Rick pulled open the storm door and rapped his knuckles on the door. Unlike himself, Daryl clearly wasn’t asleep and answered the door immediately and was halfway down the street before Rick was able to fully explain the extent of the situation; having bolted out of the house the moment he heard that Sam had been attacked also.

“Where is she?” Daryl barked at Cassie when he entered the gym to find her sitting on the floor just outside of the showers. “Sam? Where’s she at?”

“She’s still showering.” Cassie stood up and held her hand out to Daryl, trying to stop him, but knew in the back of her head that her attempt would be futile. “Sam kicked me out. Said she wanted to be alone.”

“Fuck that.” He growled, not once slowing down as he crossed the room. Cassie stood in front of the locker room door, blocking his entrance. Daryl glared at her, a menacing look flashed in his eyes. “Move.”

“She’s upset, Daryl. Don’t make it worse, ok?” Cassie wisely stepped aside and let Daryl through after weighing her options and choosing the one that would keep her in one piece. Having been unable to locate anything for Sam to wear in the lockers other than towels, and deciding that her best friend was with hands that were clearly capable, Cassie headed outside to go find some clothes.

Cool water flowed down from the tap, pouring over her head and spilling down her naked body, as Sam sat on the cold tile floor with her legs tucked up against her chest and arms wrapped tightly around them with her head resting on her knees. Her body shook, shivering from the combination of shock from the attack and the cool water and air in the room. In her mind ran a constant playback of the attack; the sight of his feral face, the feel of his blood running over her hands and sticking to her skin, the sounds of his jaw snapping together as he desperately tried to gnaw at her flesh. She couldn’t shake off just how close she had been to being killed.

Daryl slipped quietly in to the locker room, made his way towards the sound of water falling to the ground and eased back the white vinyl shower curtain to find Sam huddled in the bottom of the shower. Reaching over where she sat, he turned off the water before grabbing the towel that hung on the hook just outside the stall. Crouching down, Daryl settled the sea foam green towel over her shoulders before wrapping his arms around her; paying no attention to the water that was soaking through the legs of his pants as he sank down on to the tile beside her.

“I shouldn’t have left you. Damn it, I knew I should’ve stayed and I didn’t.” He whispered with his cheek pressed against her soaking wet hair. “I’m sorry.”


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the 3rd chapter posted I have posted today, so make sure to read the others first. Chapter 42 was posted Tuesday night around 7PM CST, then Chapter 43 shortly after midnight, and now Chapter 44!
> 
> This will be my last post for quiet some time as I will be out of town at Dragon Con. I will post again on Saturday, September 12th. Sorry for the inconvenience, but I am taking neither my laptop nor my flash drive with me to the convention and when I get back I will be without internet at my home for 4 whole days. It's like the Dark Ages in my neck of the woods. However, I think the next time I update will make you guys happy (crosses fingers) as we will FINALLY have some Daryl and Sam sexy-time. :)
> 
> Hope you guys have enjoyed these three updates!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

****  
_The present: Still early Friday morning, March 9th, 2012_  


In Sam’s apartment, Cassie crawled up in to the loft and rummaged through the dresser for clothes to take back down to the gym. Settling on a pair of gray sweatpants she knew Sam adored, despite the fact they were too big for her, and the damn near threadbare black button up shirt she slept in nightly, along with underwear, sneakers and a pair of thick socks. Cassie held the wadded up stack of clothes against her chest as she descended the ladder and started to head towards the back door when it was suddenly flung upon. Shrieking, her eyes started checking her immediate surroundings looking for the weapon she should have thought to bring with her, but thankfully didn’t need one when she realized that the person bursting in to the apartment was just Ryan.

“I just heard what happened!” Ryan shook his head, sending droplets of water spraying out around him, signaling that the rain had started up once more. “Where’s Sam?”

“She’s fine. I’m sorry, I should have found you earlier.” Cassie apologized, feeling horrible for not thinking about finding him immediately after making sure Sam was alright. Completely oblivious to the fact that Sam had broken things off with Ryan, having not had a chance to talk to her all day about anything other than work related nonsense, Cassie ushered Ryan out the back door while saying, ““Sam’s down in the gym taking a shower. I was just getting her some clothes, but you can take them if you want.”

“Um, no thanks, you go on.” Ryan waved off Cassie’s offer as he stepped out on to the landing behind her, shutting the door as they left. When he’d finally been told what had happened, as he came in to town to meet up with the others on the scavenging trip that was set to leave shortly, Ryan had immediately dropped his backpack in the middle of the roadway and ran to check on Sam without considering the fact that she had broken up with him the day before. Now, looking back on that decision, he felt a little silly for doing so.

Once they were at the bottom of the stairs, Ryan slipped past Cassie to head back to meet up with the group. He took a few steps, paused and turned back to her. “Just take care of her, ok?”

“Ryan, what’s going on? Did something happen between ya’ll that I don’t know about?” Cassie asked curiously, clearly out of the loop. Clutching the piles of clothes to her chest she watched as he sighed and ran a hand through his damp hair, pushing back the long strands that were clinging to his face. Realizing just what the expression in his eyes meant that Sam had finally talked to him, as per her suggestion. “Did Sam say something or do something?”

“Yeah, she broke up with me.” Ryan grimaced and felt like a little embarrassed for being so upset about Sam dumping him. But, before her there had been no one else to break his heart the way she did, because there hadn’t been anyone else in his life before her. Sure, there had been a woman here or there, but he had never been in love with anyone the way he loved Sam…and doubted he ever would. “Just because he showed up out of thin air. That’s it. The only reason she’d give me.”

“Ryan, damn…I’m sorry. I had no idea, really. She didn’t tell me.” Not that she had seen Sam after school, but still, the fact that she’d broken up with Ryan and hadn’t even thought to track her best friend down and tell her the news hurt Cassie’s feelings a little bit. When she’d told Sam to talk to Ryan she honestly didn’t think that breaking up would be the first course of action either, fully figuring on Sam dragging that part out as long as possible. “Is that why you’re going back out so soon? Tyler mentioned it.”

“One of the guys on the team is out with a bum knee, figured they could use the help.” Tyler shrugged and looked off in the distance, over Cassie’s shoulder in to the woods. Suddenly, the fact that Cassie wasn’t with Sam, and he seriously doubted that she would be left alone after an attack, clicked in Ryan’s head. Narrowing his eyes, he asked, “Who’s over there with her? Is it Daryl?”

“I, uh…yeah.” Cassie replied sheepishly, ducking her head to avoid Ryan’s gaze. “He just showed up and well, took over actually. So, I came here to get her some clean clothes. Her others were trashed.”

“Guess she’s made her decision then.” Ryan felt as though his heart was breaking all over again and wanted nothing more than to never feel this way ever again. Dropping his shoulders in defeat, he offered Cassie one final hangdog expression before leaving. “I’ve got to get going. We’re heading out soon.”

“Bye, Ryan.” Cassie murmured as she watched him walk away. Once he had turned the corner and was out of sight, she slipped past that particular alleyway and headed towards the gym to give Sam her clothes. As she was strolling up to the front door, David Collins stepped out of the infirmary with a grim look and, upon seeing her, walked over. “Hey, how bad is it in there?”

“Disgusting. That poor boy…” David Collins let his sentence drift off, not wanting to put in to words the horror that had occurred. The sight of that young man laying broken and disemboweled on the floor, his entrails spilled out across the pale gray linoleum, was the stuff nightmares were made of. Shaking his head, as though that movement would rid his mind of the ghastly images, he reached in his pocket and withdrew a bottle full of pills. Twisting the cap, he pulled out one oblong white pill and handed it to Cassie. “It’s for Sam. For her nerves, so she can get some rest.”

“Ok, yeah, that’s a good idea.” Cassie closed her fist tightly around the tiny pill and turned to go into the dimly lit fitness center, and was thankful that someone had the forethought to stick a lantern in there to offer some light. “I’ll make sure she gets it. You look like you need some rest, too.”

“I hope that’s on the agenda. Krista was up all night with Kline, he wasn’t feeling well. And, now this.” David scrubbed his hands over his face and sighed. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had an attack in town. I’d gotten used to the normalcy around here.”

“Hopefully it won’t happen again anytime soon. Well, I better get this stuff to Sam, I’m sure she’s freezing.” Cassie pulled open the plywood covered glass door and headed towards the locker rooms to find Sam. Turning the corner, she found Sam standing just outside the row of showers wrapped in a towel, silent and glassy eyed, while Daryl used another towel to dry off her arms and legs. “Got you some warm clean clothes, sweetie. But first, take this…David sent it over for you.”

“What is it?” Daryl nodded towards the pill that Sam willingly let Cassie pop in to her mouth without saying a word or using anything to wash it down. “What’d you give her?”

“Just something to calm her nerves, help her get some sleep. Xanax, I think…she takes it sometimes when her panic attacks get bad, but she hasn’t had one like that in ages.” Cassie slipped the shirt around Sam’s shoulders and helped her put her arms in the sleeves, before handing over the underwear. “David keeps a bottle around for her, just in case.”

“Stop talking about me like I’m not here.” Sam mumbled as she pulled on the underwear and sweatpants, grateful for the warmth. Bringing her hands up, she tried to button the shirt, but kept doing it wrong since she was shaking like a leaf in a storm.

“I was just answering his question.” Cassie stepped in and started buttoning up the shirt for Sam, who obediently dropped her hands and went back to standing there mutely like a mannequin. Once the shirt was done up, Cassie reached over to the counter top and grabbed the socks, “Ok, socks and shoes and then home to bed.”

Daryl watched as Sam swayed on her feet and wondered just how little sleep she’d been getting lately to make her so exhausted since there was no way the medication worked that fast. He recalled with vivid detail the times he’d found her wide awake in the middle of the night, unable to sleep until the song in her head was written down and put to music, but doubted that was the reason for her current state and placed the blame squarely on his shoulders. Stepping in, he brushed Cassie aside and swept Sam in to his arm’s quickly before either one of them could object.

“I can walk on my own. Put me down.” Sam demanded, although her voice was barely above a whisper as she weakly pushed against Daryl’s chest, and thus, not very convincing.

“The hell I will.” Daryl tightened his grasp on Sam as she pitifully pushed against his chest and demanded to be let down. She seemed lighter than she used to feel in his arms. Cassie reached out and caught one of Sam’s feet and began slipping a sock on to it, while coming to his rescue. “Your feet are like blocks of ice. You’re shivering and you’re exhausted. So, just hush and let Daryl take you home, ok?”

Cassie quickly slipped the other sock on Sam’s foot and felt a moment of triumph when she was met with no resistance. Tucking a flashlight in one of Sam’s hands, she glanced up to Daryl and asked, “You good to get her upstairs? If you can’t there’s always the sleeping area.”

“I got it.” Daryl readjusted his grip on Sam, who’d managed to wiggle just enough to slip out of his tight hold during her protest. Following behind Cassie, Daryl headed out in to the main part of the gym and out on to the sidewalk, where he found Rick waiting for him. “Taking Sam back to her place. Everything ok out here?”

“Yeah, just about cleaned up. Need to have a meeting with our group, but we can do that later. You’ve got your hands full.” _‘Literally and figuratively,’_ Rick thought to himself as he watched Daryl walk away from him with a half-asleep Sam held tightly in his arms. He wondered briefly where Sam’s boyfriend was and had that question answered immediately when he turned around to head back to the infirmary and spotted Ryan at the end of the street where the next scavenging group was preparing to head out. The slowly rising sun offered up enough light to show the man who was taking care of Sam and that realization showed itself in a look of heartbreak as he watched Daryl carry her back to her apartment. That look alone had Rick feeling at least a little sorry for the man as he turned to go back in to in to the infirmary to start cleaning up from tonight’s mess.

After trying the store front entrance and finding it locked, Sam offered up a helpful tidbit that the back door was unlocked, which would have been more beneficial before he’d carried her in the direction they’d come from the gym. Heading up the block a bit more, Daryl went down the alleyway to the back and groaned a bit inwardly at the sight of the rickety metal stairs. Hefting Sam in his arms once more to ensure he had a tight hold on her, he very carefully eased up the staircase at an angle to make sure he didn’t whack her head against the railing.

Once at the top, he realized his biggest mistake…getting the door open while holding Sam. Grimacing, he tried to ease forward close enough to grab hold of the knob and turn it, but only succeeded in nearly dropping her. “Sam, gonna need you to open the door.”

“Hmm? Oh, ok.” Sam replied groggily, the medication stepping in and doing its job quicker than usual, no doubt thanks to the lack of food in her stomach and already exhausted state. Reaching out, she turned the knob and pulled the door open enough to allow them both to enter the dimly lit apartment.

Daryl turned down the hallway and headed towards the living room without bothering to close the door; planning on doing that once he got Sam settled on the couch. Navigating through the apartment, he eased around the coffee table and started to lean down when he noticed Sam looking up at him with an odd, but familiar look in her eyes. He had but a moment to react before she pressed her lips against his. As much as he wanted what was being offered, Daryl knew better than to let it happen this way and pulled back from her kiss; shaking his head to disagree with her actions, but saying nothing.

Severely embarrassed on top of everything else that had happened to her that night, Sam slipped from Daryl’s hold enough so that her feet were at least on the floor, and avoided looking directly at him. She could feel the flame of humiliation burning on her cheeks as she stepped away from Daryl, wanting to put a good amount of much needed distance between them, but her vision started to swim and she lurched to the side without him holding her thanks to the medication and sheer exhaustion. Sinking to the couch, Sam leaned her head against the back of the couch and crossed her arms over her head to hide her discomfort.

“You can go now. I’m fine.” Sam mumbled against her forearms and prayed that he would actually listen to her and do as she requested. For a brief moment, after hearing the back door close, Sam thought that he had done what she asked, but then she heard the sound of his boots on the hardwood floor just before he sank down on to the couch next to her. Sighing, Sam realized she was entirely too tired to argue with him and leaned over on to the couch; putting her head on a pillow at the opposite end, as far as she could get away from him without going to her bed, since she highly doubted she could climb the ladder to do so anyway. Reaching up, Sam grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and pulled it down and burrowed beneath it. If he wasn’t going to leave, then she was just going to ignore him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please take a moment to let me know what you think! :) Author's have fragile egos and love reviews. LOL


	45. Chapter 45

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the reviews and kudos! I had a great time while away at Dragon Con (rocking my TWD cosplay!) but I was really missing my story and posting schedule. I will be back to it with a post every Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and every other Saturday.
> 
> Now, on to the sexy time you've all been waiting patiently for....

  
[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_**Previously in the past:** _

“What’s the plans? Wanna go out?”

While shaking her head side to side, Sam slid a hand beneath the hem of Daryl’s shirt and caressed the soft skin off his back just above the waistband of his dark gray pants. She knew she had missed him something awful while she’d been out of town, their nightly conversations having not been enough to quell her need to be with him and Sam just wanted it to be the two of them that night. “Why don’t we just stay in tonight?”

 

_**The Past: Saturday wee hours of the morning, July 10th, 1999** _

Daryl woke suddenly and blinked his sleep filled eyes while looking around the darkened living room, which was tinged in a blue hue thanks to the glow from the blank television screen. They had started another movie shortly after midnight and had fallen asleep shortly after it began. The clock in the kitchen proclaimed it to be well past four in the morning and let Daryl know they'd slept through not only the entire movie, but at least two hours of nothing after the final credits had rolled off the screen. After locating the remote control stuck between the cushion and the armrest, Daryl turned on the lamp beside him and clicked off the television. He hated to wake Sam just to move to the bedroom, she looked so peaceful snuggled up next to him with her head in his lap, but there was no sense in sleeping on the couch when there was a perfectly good bed a few feet away.

As gently as possible, Daryl slipped a hand beneath Sam’s head so he could ease out from under her and, after lowering her head to the couch, stand up. Looking down at Sam, who had yet to wake in the slightest, Daryl decided she was light enough to carry so he knelt down and slipped his arms underneath her and picked her up. Cradling Sam next to his chest, he headed towards the bedroom. As he crossed the threshold in to the dimly lit room, the light from a neighbors back porch light offering up only a faint glow in to the room through the curtains, Daryl realized that Sam had woken and was staring up at him. Slowly he loosened his hold on her and let Sam slide to the ground, their gazes connected and unwavering, to stand between him and the bed.

“I’m sorry I fell asleep again.” Sam hated she’d managed to sleep through the majority of their first time spending the night together, especially since she’d had plans that had very much included a bed, but not for sleeping. Gazing up at him, she bit her lower lip and wondered if he would be interested in what she had in mind at this late of an hour. The little voice in the back of her mind telling her that men were ready and willing for sex at any hour of the day sounded oddly like Cassie, and gave her the nudge she needed to make a move. Reaching out, Sam pressed her hands against Daryl's chest, splaying her palms flat against the soft material of his shirt.

“It’s okay. I did, too.” Daryl murmured, his mouth suddenly dry at the flicker of heat in Sam’s gaze. Her hands pressed against his chest, fingers widening slightly as she slowly slid them down towards his stomach without tearing her eyes away from his. Sticking to his word that they’d go slow, that he’d let her determine when they would finally have sex, Daryl let Sam set the pace and waited to see what she had in mind.

Sam slid her hands down his chest to his stomach and let them lay there for a moment before slipping them under the hemline of his shirt. The course smattering of hair on his belly tickled her palm as she skimmed her hands over the flat planes of his stomach. Stepping closer to him, she ran her hands along the edge of his waistband around his sides to settle at the base of his spine; his skin was smooth and heated beneath her hands. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest as she tentatively slid her hands over the tight muscles of his back once more before moving them upwards with his shirt in tow. So focused on what she was doing, the seriousness of the step she was taking, Sam missed the tensing of his back muscles and slight nervous flinch when she pulled the shirt over his head and tossed it to the floor beside them.

He couldn’t help but tense, flinch in shame, as Sam’s hands slid over his back; her fingernails scraping lightly across the scarred skin. In that moment, Daryl was faced yet again with the embarrassment of the marks on his back, the scars from where he had suffered at the hands of his father. He’d never shared that information with anyone, never let anyone see what had been done to him, always making sure to keep the lights off or his shirt on. Holding his breath as his shirt fell to the ground beside them, he was thankful that the room was dimly lit and he could hold off on letting Sam see what had been done to him, but he didn’t know how he was going to handle the situation in the morning as he’d never been faced with that problem before since he had never spent the night with any of the women he’d been with previously. Sam would, in all essence, be his first in many ways. The first to spend the night with, the first to see his scars, the first to fall in love with…and many more firsts if he had his say so in the matter.

Sam ran her hands over his chest, letting her palms glide over the light sprinkling of chest hair and outwards to glide over his nipples and felt them harden as she slid over them. Leaning her head forward, Sam pressed a kiss the skin over Daryl's heart and then moved to the side to brush her lips across a nipple before moving upwards once more to kiss the dip at the hollow of his throat. His hands were on her hips, resting gently at the top of her shorts. Placing her hands above his, Sam kept her eyes locked with Daryl's as she grasped his hands and slid them upwards, skimming her sides and dragging her shirt along with them until he realized what she was doing and took over.

Daryl could see the nervousness in her eyes, it lay just below the desire that stared up at him. Her chest was rising and falling quickly, the polka dotted material of her bra stretching against her small breasts with each breath. He let her shirt slip from his hand to fall down to the ground to lay across his own. Sam raised her arms, tucked her hands behind her back, and Daryl watched as she wiggled out of her bra, letting the straps slide slowly down her arms before adding it to the pile of clothes building on the wooden floor beside them. Bare to him from the waist up, Daryl reached out and pulled Sam against him; relishing the feel of her skin against his own.

Her skin burned, sizzled with desire beneath his touch as Daryl’s hands skimmed up her arms and over her shoulders to gently rest on either side of her head before he leaned in and captured her lips with his own. Sam wrapped her arms around his neck and eased up on to the tips of her toes so he didn’t have to lean down so far to kiss her. She parted her lips for him and moaned lightly as his tongue slid across hers. Burying her hands in his hair, she pulled him with her as she stepped towards the bed. 

“You sure?” Daryl murmured, his voice hoarse and thick with emotion as he glanced down at her questioningly. Lifting a hand, he gently rubbed the pad of his thumb over her kiss swollen lower lip before leaning down and brushing a kiss across it. “We can stop if you want.”

“I don’t want to,” Sam licked her lips and nodded her head as she took a final step backwards until the bed pressed against the backs of her thighs. “Stop, that is. I want to…I want to be with you.”

For a moment he thought he’d heard her wrong, but all disbelief was chucked out the window when Sam crawled up on to the bed and faced him, perched on her knees wearing nothing but a pair of blue jean shorts and a shy smile. She reached out to him tentatively, one small hand grabbed hold of his hand and pulled him towards her. Eager and yet somehow nervous despite having had sex before he went to her. His nervousness mounted and Daryl realized why, he’d never been in love with his other partners…had never made love to anyone, so he had a reason to be anxious. Crawling on to the bed with Sam, Daryl wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly against him before lowering her gently to the bed. His heart was suddenly in his throat and beating a thousand times a minute as Sam looked up at him expectantly.

Suddenly in the midst of literally virgin territory, Sam didn’t know what she should be doing. Cassie’s voice rang in her head to let Daryl take the lead and to remember to breathe, but doing that calmly seemed to be another matter. Her limbs felt awkward as she tried to figure out where to put them, her stomach flip flopped with nerves and even though she was more than ready to take the next step with Daryl, her mind was running through all the things that could go wrong by doing so. But, she was determined to do this…to have sex with Daryl…the man she loved and the man she wanted to have her first time with. Sam took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves as Daryl lowered himself over her.

“Breathe, baby.” Daryl whispered against Sam’s neck as he ghosted a line of kisses along the soft skin. Her body was rigid and he could tell she was holding her breath as he settled himself between her legs and pressed against her trembling body. He felt her chest press against his as she gulped in a breath loudly. Pulling back from the curve of her neck, Daryl held her anxious gaze in the dimly lit bedroom, and tried to soothe her nerves. “It’s gonna be okay, trust me. I won’t ever hurt you.”

Sam nodded and took yet another breath, feeling her nerves slowly wash away at the promise in his words. Sure, the first time was going to hurt, but she knew in her heart that Daryl wouldn’t do anything to intentionally hurt her. Smiling up at him in the near darkness, she whispered, “I trust you.”

Covering her lips with his, Daryl kissed her deeply as he lowered his hand to her waist and tugged open the button on her shorts. Distracting her at least a little bit by parting her lips and delving his tongue inside her mouth, sliding it sensuously across hers, before easing down the zipper on her shorts. He inched his hand past the waistband, gently sliding it down her hip and along the lacy edge of her underwear and smiled against her lips when she raised her hips slightly to press up into his touch. Releasing his hold on her lips, Daryl kissed down her neck, licked the hollow of her throat and kissed a line down her chest to her breasts; leaving Sam breathless in his wake. Her hands fisted in his hair and a delicate moan of desire slipped past her lips when he closed his mouth over one nipple, suckling the pert nub before gently biting down on it.

Daryl’s lips were hot against her skin as he kissed a line down her chest and belly heading southward towards the waistband of her shorts. Sam fisted her hands loosely in his hair and forced her eyes open to stare down at him, surprised to find him looking up at her from between her legs. Once their gazes connected, as though he was waiting for her approval, he leaned up enough to be able to hook his thumbs in the loops on either side of her waist and pull her shorts down her legs; tossing them to the floor before doing the same with her lacy pink underwear. Completely bare to him now, Sam felt naked in more than one way as she trembled beneath Daryl’s hungry gaze.

Settling himself between Sam’s legs once again, Daryl kissed the smooth skin of her flat stomach, dipped his tongue into her belly button and kissed a trail down to the apex of her thighs. He felt her body tense up again briefly when his lips lowered to cover her moist, heated center, but relax and sigh with pleasure when he licked along the juncture and suckled at the nub nestled beneath a thatch of blonde curls. Smiling against her, Daryl licked and nibbled and suckled the delicate, sensitive area until Sam was writhing beneath him; breathy moans of desire slipping past her lips. Tenderly, he slipped a finger inside her and felt just how tight she was. Easing in another finger slowly, stretching her gently, Daryl moaned against her curls when she responded by grasping at his hair tightly.

Stars twinkled behind Sam’s tightly closed eyes as Daryl lavished attention on her; suckling, licking, nibbling at her until that luscious tingle in the pit of her stomach burned and ravaged at her body with raging flames of desire. She’d explored her body, touched herself under the sheets until she brought herself to orgasm before, but the feelings she’d produced for herself were nothing compared to what Daryl was eliciting. She trembled beneath his hands, quivered beneath the feel of his tongue and quaked at the sensation of his fingers inside her. Crying out loudly as he brought forth a climax she thought wasn’t possible, Sam fought to keep her legs from slamming together around his head as she shattered with desire in his hands.

Daryl wiped his mouth on the back of his hand before crawling back up Sam’s trembling body with a pleased smile on his face. Holding himself above her, he waited for her to finally open her eyes and look up at him before dropping down to kiss her deeply. Pulling back, he watched as Sam licked her lips, tasting herself from his lips, and stared up at him with hunger in her eyes. He quickly unbuttoned his jeans and kicked them off, before leaning over and grabbing a condom out of the bedside drawer. Her eyes were on him as he tore open the packet and tossed it to the floor before rolling the condom down his hardened length and the sight of her ravenous glare was sexy as hell.

Sam welcomed the weight of his body pressed against hers, the feel of his heated flesh against hers, the nudge of him against her heated center. Easing open her legs, she wrapped her thighs around his waist and felt her breath hitch in her throat as he nudged against her folds to slide just the tip pf his dick inside her body. He skimmed one hand along the edge of her curves, sliding upwards from her hip to settle at the nape of her neck, pulling her gently to him to capture her lips with his. Delving his tongue inside, he distracted her with his kiss and gently eased inside her virgin body; stretching her, filling her, until he was nestled deep inside her body.

Daryl paused when he was fully buried to the hilt inside Sam, her heated center squeezing him with its tight walls. Her body was tense in his arms and her eyes were slammed closed tightly and he watched as one lone tear slipped out of the corner of her eye. Leaning down, he kissed the salty tear away. With every ounce of control his body possessed, he forced himself to remain seated inside her, completely still, and whispered, “You okay?”

Nodding against Daryl’s lips that were pressed against the corner of her eye, Sam slid her hands along his back until they rested at the top of his buttocks. Putting her feet on the bed on either side of his thighs, she experimentally moved her hips; sliding him ever so slightly in and out of her body. Whatever hurt that had been there momentarily slipped away to be replaced with a feeling that she doubted she could ever put to words. She let her eyes open, connected their gazes, and felt Daryl begin to move with her.

He felt Sam move her hand from his waist, to slide gently across the skin of his side and down his arm and slip beneath his to interlock their hands. Holding one hand, the other tucked behind her neck, they moved together; her hips rising to meet his, thrust for thrust. His heart pounded in his chest, his mind swam with desire as they worked together to push over the edge. He dipped his head, buried it in the curve of her neck and bit down gently as the pressure built deep inside and spilled over; shattering, coming completely apart in her arms.

Sam slipped her hand from his and wrapped her arms around Daryl as he trembled in her arms. Her heart thundered in her chest, her breaths came out in short pants, as he shuttered in her arms and fell against her; their bodies’ slick with sweat. She smiled against him, her lips pressed against swatch of his sweaty hair, and held him on to him tightly. Even though she hadn’t climaxed again with him, Sam felt utterly content and satisfied, happier than she had ever been. The feelings bubbled up, swirled inside her until she thought her heart might explode from sheer happiness alone and that’s when it slipped out.

“I love you.”


	46. Chapter 46

_**Saturday wee hours of the morning, July 10th, 1999** _

 

Sam felt like the biggest idiot in the world. What had felt like the happiest moment of her life was now overshadowed by the stupid words she had left slip from her mouth to fall between them like a proverbial pink elephant. Silence filled her ears as Daryl laid there, still against her body, his softening member still inside her. Embarrassed, her cheeks flushed brightly she squeezed her eyes tightly shut, as though if she couldn’t see him then he couldn’t see her.

Why in the world had she told him she loved him?

Sam felt him slip from her body and she cracked one eye to see him remove the condom, tie it off and lean over the edge of the bed to toss it in the garbage can. Now that Daryl was no longer on top of her, her skin instantly covered in goose flesh as the ceiling fan blew cool air over her sweat glistened body. Sam desperately wanted to crawl off the bed, curl up and just die of embarrassment. Instead, she pulled on her big girl panties, opened her eyes and said, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that…I know…I mean, you don’t…”

Sure, when Sam had whispered that she loved him immediately after sex, he’d had a very brief moment of panic, but it wasn’t because he didn’t love her, too. No, it was because he hadn’t been prepared to hear it from her. Because, no matter what happened in his life, Daryl would never fully believe that anyone truly cared for him, much less love him. Once he had disposed of the condom, Daryl returned to his position, settling himself between Sam’s legs again, and propped himself up on an elbow to look down at her as she rambled on about being sorry for saying she loved him. “Sam, I love you, too.”

“Really?” Sam smiled and looked up at Daryl hopefully. “You’re not just saying that so I shut up, are you?”

“Nah, I think you’re cute when you ramble.” Daryl dipped his head and kissed Sam softly before she started wiggling around beneath him. “What are you doing?”

“I need up for a second. You know, bathroom stuff.” Sam hated to get up, but her bladder was very much in the need of a trip to the restroom. When Daryl rolled off of her, she scurried off the bed and, after a second of hesitation as to if she should get dressed, decided to head on to the bathroom sans clothing since their clothes were in one big heap on the floor and she didn’t want to waste time trying to dig through them. Plus, it was still dark enough since the sun was barely starting to rise, so it’s not like he could see much.

Once Sam was out of the room, Daryl reached over and turned on the lamp to check the state of his comforter. He’d had one brief thought that he needed to pull it back before they had sex, but seeing Sam completely naked had caused that thought to vanish quickly. As he’d suspected, although the plaid comforter consisted mostly of dark colors and the damage wasn’t that bad, it would still need to be washed. Rolling off the bed, he wadded it up and promptly chucked it in the bottom of the closet instead of dealing with it immediately. He’d probably regret that when the stain set in and refused to come out, but right now he couldn’t be bothered. Grabbing a light weight blanket off the top shelf, he spread it out on the bed instead and, in an attempt to not embarrass Sam, would just explain that the comforter was too thick and he was hot if she asked.

Sam stood at the sink after using the restroom and studied her reflection in the mirror. Other than mussed hair and flushed cheeks, she didn’t look any different, but she sure did feel that way now that she’d lost her virginity. Giggling to herself at being silly, as though you could actually look at someone and see that they’d had sex, she washed her hands and dried them off before leaving the bathroom.

Heading back towards the bedroom, she blushed when she found the light was on and Daryl was laying on the bed waiting for her; openly ogling her naked body when she came back in to the room. Crouching down, a move that was difficult to do in a ladylike manner when completely nude, Sam grabbed the sleeve of Daryl’s discarded shirt and pulled it on over her head. Standing up, now at least covered down to the tops of her thighs, Sam skirted around the edge of the bed towards her suitcase, which she unzipped and started digging through when she squatted down next to it. Standing up, she saw the look on Daryl’s face and asked, “What’s the face for?”

“Don’t remember saying you could wear my shirt.” Daryl sat up and scooted to the end of the bed and grabbed hold of the edge of the t-shirt. Pulling Sam towards him, Daryl tugged at the material and started trying to take it off her. “Damn sure didn’t say you could get dressed neither.”

Sam let Daryl pull her back to the bed, laughing the whole way at the seriousness in his tone. Falling across his lap, she let go of what was in her hands as he won the game of tug of war with the shirt and pulled it off of her; flinging it completely across the room. Nude once more, Sam patted her hand over the mattress until the item was back in her hand and rolled over so that she could scoot up Daryl’s body and straddle him.

“Whatcha got there?” Daryl reached out to grab Sam’s hand and see what she had gotten out of her suitcase, but had his hand swatted away. There was a mischievous glint in her eye as she settled herself over his lap and pushed him backwards until he was laying on the bed with her straddling him. “What are you up to?”

“Nothing.” Sam grinned devilishly and managed to snap a picture of him before he even knew what she was up to. “Just wanted a picture of you.”

“Didn’t think you was in to naked pictures.” Daryl shook his head and tried to snatch the camera out of her hands once more, but Sam proved to have faster reflexes than he did at that hour of the morning. Instead, he was pushed back down on to the mattress and subjected to a series of pictures before Sam tumbled down on to the bed next to him. She snuggled up to him, tucking her head in the curve of his neck, and stretched out her arm to take a picture of the two of them together. “Ain’t you afraid someone might see them?”

“Honestly, I don’t care right now. I just don’t want to forget this moment.” Sam tilted her head up to look at him and placed a feather light kiss on his jawbone. Inching up closer to him so that she could properly kiss him on the lips, Sam let go of the camera and let it tumble on to the mattress beside Daryl, who immediately snatched it up. Realizing her mistake, she laughed and tried to grab it from him. “No! I want to remember you! Not me!”

“Tough.” Daryl held on to the cardboard covered disposable camera tightly in his hand while sitting up and pushing Sam back on to the bed like she had done to him. Her golden hair spilled across the sheets, her cheeks were flushed and a luminous smile filled her face as she laughed and held her hand out to shield herself from having her picture taken. Holding the camera up, Daryl swatted her hand away and growled, “Fair’s fair.”

He snapped a handful of pictures, careful to make sure they didn’t venture in to a more mature rating, before laying back down on the bed next to her. Letting the camera fall on to the pillow beside them, he rolled on to his back and pulled Sam in to his arms and kissed her deeply. As they parted, he heard her stifle a yawn and declared it time for bed if they planned on doing anything else that weekend other than stay in bed, which he wasn’t exactly opposed to doing. Sam laid her head on his chest and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders as she burrowed down beneath the covers and placed her hand on his stomach. He reached over and turned off the lamp, but the sun was steadily rising outside so the bedroom was still awash in a golden, hazy hue.

Tired, yet oddly too awake to go to sleep, Daryl laid there as the sun woke up fully and simply held Sam while she slept in his arms. Eventually, the need to sleep started to win against the battle to stay awake, but before he gave in and let it triumph, Daryl grabbed the camera next to them and positioned it so he could snap a picture of Sam snoozing in his arms; wanting to capture the moment as Sam had done.


	47. Chapter 47

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to Debbief722 and TheFaceofAlison for such wonderful reviews on the last two chapters!!! This chapter is full of some more sexy goodness for all my patient readers who waited so long for the Daryl and Sam action. The plot (and angst) will return in full force in Chapter 48!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

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**Saturday, July 10th, 1999**  


 

The next afternoon, Sam woke to find that Daryl still had her wrapped in his arms, although they were now laying on their sides with him pressed up against her back. And, in that position, she was very much aware of the rigidity of a certain part of his anatomy. While she was very content in his arms, Sam really wanted to sneak away to away to the bathroom and make herself a little bit more presentable, figuring that her hair was past its normal morning messy state and well on its way to being a rat’s nest. Plus, she desperately wanted to brush her teeth before Daryl woke up. In a manner that was clearly not as stealthy as she had planned on it being, Sam tried to slip out of Daryl’s hold and off the bed, but failed, only to be pulled back on to the bed before she’d even gotten one foot on the floor.

“Where you going?” Daryl’s voice was gruffer than usual as he was barely awake, only enough so to grab Sam and drag her back on to the bed. Pulling her back down next to him, he wrapped his arms around her tightly. “Too damn early to get up.”

“It’s not early. It’s almost four in the afternoon.” Sam informed him with a giggle after lifting her head and consulting the clock on what time it actually was. Poking him lightly in the ribs, she murmured, “We’re sleeping the day away.”

“Humph.” Daryl grumbled before turning his head to check the clock, as though Sam would have lied about what time it was. Sure enough, they’d managed to sleep away the majority of the day. Of course, there was other things to do in bed besides sleeping and he certainly didn’t feel like exiting the comfortable bed just yet. Rolling over on top of Sam, Daryl wiggled his hips until he was settled between her thighs with his very alert morning wood nudging at her opening insistently.

“Morning breath!” Sam turned her head when Daryl leaned down and tried to kiss her. She saw a flash of what looked like insecurity on his face, but couldn’t figure out as to why he would have any reason to feel self-conscious and decided she had misread the expression. “I need to brush my teeth first.”

“Don’t give two shits about your breath.” Daryl shook his head at the absurdity of Sam’s response as to why she avoided his kiss. He’d had a moment of insecurity because of the whole thing, not knowing why she’d turned away from him and then wondered if she had been referring to his morning breath. Realizing that Sam was referring to the fact that she wanted to brush her teeth because she didn’t want to offend him, Daryl had to fight off laughter since there was very little Sam could do to insult him. Dipping his head to hers once more, this time he succeeded in capturing the kiss he’d been in search of before the morning breath silliness.

Sam wrapped her arms around Daryl and fell in to his kiss, parting her lips to let his tongue slip inside and sweep across hers. She raised her legs slightly, letting her inner thighs rest against his hips and let him settle closer against her body, her skin tingled with desire when the tip of his hardened shaft nudged against her folds. Instantly awakened with passion, her core was heated and moist as their embrace deepened. Her hands slipped down his back and cupped his buttocks and she dug her nails in lightly and moved her hips against him, letting him know full well what it was she wanted.

“You sure? You ain’t hurting?” Daryl murmured with his mouth against her neck, having moved away from her lips to nibble along the soft skin. Sam’s response came in the form of a pant of desire as she shook her head from side to side to say she wasn’t hurting from their encounter earlier that morning. Her nails were digging in to his butt cheeks as she writhed beneath him, the tiny globes of her breasts pressed against his chest and he could feel the hardened pearls of her nipples pushing in to his skin, and her breathy moans were driving him wild. Daryl covered her lips with his and roughly delved his tongue in to swipe across her tongue as his hand slipped down her body and clutched at the gentle swell of her hip as their passion swirled to greater heights. So overcome with hunger, with an overwhelming need for Sam that he doubted would ever dissipate, Daryl was halfway inside her heated channel before realizing he’d forgotten to use protection. Regretfully, he slipped out and, when met with her questioning, desire filled emerald eyes, his voice came out hoarsely as he explained the situation, “Forgot the condom.”

Sam nodded and tried to catch her breath as Daryl crawled over to the nightstand to grab a foil covered condom, and wondered if it really was taking him that long to put the damned thing on or if she was just imagining it. She had a moment to chastise herself for not pointing out his lack of protection beforehand and made a mental note to check in to birth control pills once she got back to the relative privacy of the university medical clinic in a month.

Daryl tossed the foil packet aside and quickly slid the condom on under the watchful, lust filled gaze of Sam, who was biting down on her bottom lip in an incredibly sexy manner. Had she always been that sexy when biting her lips or was it just the situation, he wondered as he settled back between her open legs and slipped back inside her luscious, slick body. Buried to the hilt, snug in her tight channel, Daryl moaned at the sensation of being inside Sam and was surprised he didn’t cum from that solitary feeling. He pressed his forehead against hers and tried to take a minute to calm himself down a bit, but Sam started moving beneath him, writhing her hips and sliding him in and out of her slowly.

There was the briefest flash of discomfort from having sex earlier that morning, but as quickly as it was there it disappeared and was replaced with the most wonderful sensations she’d only experienced when Daryl was inside of her. Moving with one another, her nails bit down on the tender flesh on his side and scraped lightly across his back and this time she didn’t miss the flinch on Daryl’s face when she grasped at his back. Chalking it up to her nails hurting more than she thought they would, Sam slid her hands up to tangle in his hair at the nape of his neck while kissing him deeply. The slow burn of desire built up in her tummy and spread through her body like a wildfire as Daryl slid in and out of her; his pubic bone hitting that sensitive spot her desire craved. Her breathing quickened and her heart pounded in her chest as he eased her body closer and closer to the edge.

Daryl felt her tighten around him, heard the sharp intake of breath, and the slight tensing of her body and knew Sam was close to climaxing. He slipped a hand between their bodies and brushed his fingers across the swollen, delicate nub beneath the thatch of curls and he smiled against the soft skin of her neck and murmured, “Come for me, Sam.”

One touch of his fingers along with the deep thrust of him inside her body was enough to send Sam over the edge, but adding in the roughness of his words against her neck sealed the deal. Sam clutched at Daryl, holding him tight as a wave of pleasure washed over her and her body shivered with desire in his strong arms. His fingers were still touching her, rubbing that sensitive nub with just enough pressure to keep the feelings right at the edge, not letting her come back down. Sam opened her eyes to find Daryl staring back down at her, his eyes darkened with lust and longing, as he caressed her and slid in and out of her body until her body was shattering around him once more before he removed his hand and slid it over to grasp tightly at her hip. Trembling beneath him, Sam moved in rhythm with Daryl, matched him thrust for thrust until he came apart her arms.

They laid there for a few heartbeats trying to catch their breaths, their bodies’ slick with sweat once more. Eventually, Daryl slid from her body and dealt with the condom before crawling back on to the bed, sprawling halfway across her. Daryl looked down at her with that sexy as hell half-cocked smile spread across his face before he dipped his head and said, saying one word in between each kiss he placed along her chest, “Guess we can get out of bed now.”


	48. Chapter 48

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I'm feeling generous today so I thought I'd post an extra chapter before heading home to bed. This chapter is full of plot and some angsty goodness, back to the story and away from the bedroom for a bit...but, not for long. Don't worry, Chapter 49 will be posted when I get back to work tonight. :) A big thanks to Debbief722 (again!) for the wonderful review!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

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**Saturday, early evening, July 10th, 1999**  


Reluctantly, Sam untangled herself from Daryl’s arms so she could go to the bathroom for a much needed shower, since he shot down her suggestion of staying in and ordering pizza again and insisted on taking her out to eat dinner. Leaving him lying on the bed, partially covered with the bed sheet and looking quite delectable, Sam headed out of the bedroom and down the narrow hallway towards the bathroom.

Once Sam left the room, Daryl crawled off the bed and pulled on the pants that he had discarded on the floor that morning. Intent on going outside for as smoke, something that he had amazingly only started craving the moment he was no longer occupied with Sam, he never noticed Sam come back in the room to stare in shock and open mouthed at the sight of his bare back since he hadn’t quite located the shirt he’d tossed across the room earlier.

Having completely forgotten her toiletry bag, something she’d obviously need to get ready, Sam had come back in to the bedroom to retrieve it, but the sight of Daryl standing by the window with his back turned towards her delayed that mission. Sam stood there, her mouth opened slightly in surprise, as she took in the scars that crisscrossed his back; angry dark red marks slashing across the pale skin. How had she not noticed them before? She honestly couldn’t remember having seen his back before, which was weird. Surely she felt them when her hands had caressed his skin during their lovemaking, but she couldn’t remember feeling anything but heated flesh beneath her hands. She took a few small, tentative steps towards Daryl, wanting to both question and comfort him at the same time.

Daryl leaned down and snatched the crumpled shirt from the floor, the condition of it didn’t matter much since he was just going to smoke, and caught sight of Sam out of the corner of his eye; frozen in place with a bath towel wrapped around body. He quickly pulled the shirt on, not caring that it was inside out, and turned to face her and hated seeing the pity that was in her eyes. She had seen his scars. There was no doubt about it. Not knowing what to say, Daryl dropped his eyes from hers and wanted to leave, suddenly feeling trapped in his own bedroom.

“Daryl? What happened?” Sam asked quietly as she closed the distance between them. She could tell he wanted to avoid the conversation based on his body language alone, but seeing those marks…knowing that someone had likely done that to him…she had to know what happened.

“It ain’t nothing.” Daryl sidestepped Sam, maneuvered himself away from her outstretched hand and instantly felt like an ass for snapping at her when all she was doing is showing concern for him, a rarity in his world. Forcing himself to stop and at least try to explain the situation, Daryl turned around to face Sam, but kept the distance between them. “My dad was an asshole. Merle and I, we didn’t exactly have a nice childhood, okay?”

“Oh.” Sam hadn’t expected that to be his answer. Never in a million years had she thought that he would say his father had abused him and, done so to the point that Daryl was now scarred for life, was forced to live with that permanent memory marking not only his skin, but his memories, too. Before he could turn tail and walk away, Sam crossed the small distance between them and slid her arms around his waist and pulled him tightly against her. Looking up at him, she reached up and brushed his thick bangs to the side before easing up on to her tip toes and kissing him lightly on the lips. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”

“Don’t matter much now. He ain't a part of my life no more.” Daryl shrugged and didn’t offer up any other explanation since there was nothing else to be said anyway and he certainly didn’t want to rehash every single detail of the hell that had been his childhood. Or, rather, the hell that been his life before he had found Sam. He wrapped his arms around her petite frame and kissed the top of her head. “Now, go get ready so we can eat.”

Obediently, Sam did as Daryl said and started towards the bathroom once more. Pausing in the hallway, she turned to face him. “You can tell me anything, you know? Doesn’t matter what it is, I’m here if you need to talk.” She waited long enough to see the nod of his head that let her know that he heard her, before continuing on to the bathroom to get ready.

After dinner and a movie in Macon, only an hour away but far enough out and large enough that it lessened their chances that they’d run in to anyone they knew from Collins, Sam managed to talk Daryl in to going home instead of finding something else to do. It would seem that she was just as obsessed with having sex with Daryl as she ever was before losing her virginity, but at least now she could do something about that craving now. All but pulling him out of the movie theater, she wondered if there was any place they could stop and have sex before getting home and blushed profusely at the thought as she crawled on the back of the bike. Maybe Cassie was right…maybe you could really get addicted to having sex!

It was shortly after midnight by the time they passed the sign on the side of the road that welcomed them to Collins. As usual, they were the only ones on the road at that hour, the roads empty and darkened as they made their way in to town. Or, so they thought. About a mile out from the center of town, they were suddenly awash in the pulsating bright blue lights of a patrol car and the loud whoop of a siren behind them.

Groaning inwardly to herself as Daryl eased them on to the edge of the roadway, Sam buried her face against his back between his shoulder blades and mentally cursed the traffic gods for waiting to punish them with a violation only after they’d gotten back in to the Collins police jurisdiction. Since she knew the handful of officers at the department personally, there was no way in the world her brother wouldn’t be hearing about this incident. She was just thankful that along with Bo’s recent promotion to Lieutenant, came a transfer to day shift. She heard the crunch of boots on gravel as the officer got out of his patrol car and slowly approached them and tried to catch a glimpse out of the corner of her eye to see which officer it was, but the pulsating strobe lights and bright headlights offered no assistance in the matter.

“Evening folks. Just wanted to check and see if you were aware your tag light’s out?” Bo Collins announced as he stepped up to the rear of the motorcycle. It was a rarity for him to be out on patrol at this hour, but since one of their third shift officers was off due to his wife having a baby, Bo had offered to work the shift until he came back. Looking up from the tag, he studied the two people on the bike and felt a nagging sensation that the woman on the back seemed familiar even if he could only see the back side of her at the moment. Raising the flashlight in his left hand, he stepped around the rear of the motorcycle and shined it on the occupants and, upon seeing exactly why it was the woman seemed familiar, barked, “Sam? What on God’s green earth are you doing out here in the middle of the night on this damned death trap? Pretty damn sure you’re supposed to be in Atlanta this weekend.”

“Hi, Bo. I decided not to go with Cassie.” Sam replied meekly as she slipped off the back of the bike once Daryl had killed out the engine. Facing her brother, who despite being the oldest of her brothers at forty years old, was easily one of the more menacing ones. She usually chalked it up to his size, although he wasn’t the biggest of her brothers at six-four and two hundred forty pounds of pure muscle since Tyler far surpassed those measurements, plus the uniform and grim expression plastered on his face didn’t help. “I, uh…well, this isn’t exactly how I planned for this to go. Um, Bo, this is Daryl. My boyfriend.”

Daryl stood motionless beside the bike, almost cowardly tucked between it and Sam as her oldest brother glared at him over the top of her helmet covered head. He knew the day would come when someone in her family would find out about them, but he had hoped it would’ve been one of the tamer brothers instead of Tyler, and most certainly not the cop, or their father. He opened his mouth to say something, to maybe apologize for the situation and having Sam out at that hour, but judging from the expression on Bo’s face he wisely kept his trap shut.

Bo kept his flashlight focused on Daryl, taking in the long hair that poked out from beneath the black helmet and the unshaved scruff on his face, and all but snarled at the man that was out driving his baby sister around in the middle of the night on a motorcycle. He also didn’t miss the fact that Sam had lied to their parents about her whereabouts that weekend, likely so she could spend the whole time with her so called boyfriend that the rest of the family had no clue even existed. Narrowing his eyes, he held out his hand and said, “License.”

“Oh, come on, Bo. Is that really necessary?” Sam shook her head as Daryl reached in his back pocket for his wallet and produced his license. “It’s not like he’s kidnapped me or something. You’re being silly.”

“Don’t tell me how to do my job, Sam.” Bo snatched the plastic card out of Daryl’s hand and stormed back to his patrol car to call in the information to dispatch. Sinking to the seat, he slammed the door shut before snatching the radio microphone off its cradle and calling dispatch. Rattling off the driver’s license number, he glared out the windshield at the couple as he waited for the dispatcher to run the information through the computer and return it to him. When Sam slid her hand up the guy’s arm and leaned against him, it was all Bo could do to not get out of the car and go rip the man to shreds. Looking down at the license, he calculated Daryl’s age in his head and realized just how much older he was than Sam and really had to stamp down the anger bubbling up inside. In his opinion, there was just no damn reason for a twenty six year old man to be running around with a nineteen year old girl. Well, no good reason anyway.

“Base to 103, 10-27 returns to Daryl William Dixon…he’s current and negative. No previous arrests with our agency.” Bo growled upon hearing dispatch say that there was no reasonable excuse to haul Dixon’s ass in to jail for the night and decided to go another route. “Base, run a criminal history on him for me. Find out anything you can. Known addresses, aliases and involvements. I’ll be by later to pick it up.”

Sam watched nervously as Bo exited the patrol car once again and stalked back towards them, his face even grimmer than before if that was even remotely possible. She clung tightly to Daryl’s hand and said a silent prayer that Bo would just leave them alone and not embarrass her further. Of course, she couldn’t get that lucky.

“Get that tag light fixed.” Bo barked and handed Daryl back his license. He’d considered writing him a ticket for it, but since it would be thrown out of court if the problem was fixed, Bo let it go this time. Turning to Sam, he growled, “Take off the helmet and get in the car. I’m taking you home.”

“No.” Sam watched as Bo cocked his head and studied her as though he’d misunderstood what she had just said. To be honest, Sam couldn’t believe she’d actually said no to him and couldn’t remember ever doing so before now. But, damn it, she was tired of her brother’s pushing her around and acting like they controlled every aspect of her life. “I’m going home with Daryl.”

“The hell you are, young lady.” Bo shouted loud enough to cause both Daryl and Sam to visibly flinch. Pointing a finger at his sister, he lowered his voice a few decibels and tried again, “Get your little ass in that car. Now.”

Daryl braced himself for what was about to happen once he saw Sam square her shoulders and narrow her eyes. He didn’t want to cause any more discord with her brother tonight, or ever if he planned on being able to continue to date her, and stepped in. “Sam, its okay. Just go on home. Ain’t no reason to get upset.”

“You might be old enough to be my dad, Bo, but you’re not.” Sam ignored Daryl’s suggestion and barreled off in to the fight with her brother, if that’s what he was itching for, then she would give it to him. Pointing a finger back at him, poking it at his chest, she told him plainly how things were and how they were going to be handled. “I am going to go home with my boyfriend. And you, are going to stop telling me what I can and can’t do. Got it?”

“Yeah, well, we’ll be having a discussion tomorrow night. With Mom and Dad.” Bo backed down, honestly shocked that Sam had actually stood up to him. Not once in her nineteen years on this planet had she not done exactly what he told her to do. If it had been done under different circumstances, like with one of the other brothers, he’d have been a little impressed.

“I figured as much.” Sam huffed and turned back to Daryl, only letting him see just how shaken she was by the whole situation with her wide eyes. Not bothering to say goodbye to Bo, she gestured for Daryl to get back on the bike and followed suit once he was settled on the seat. Sam wrapped her arms around him and leaned forward slightly to press a kiss to the center of his back. “Let’s go home.”

A short while later, they were back at his house and, it would seem that Sam’s mind was very much one tracked as she barely waited for the door to get unlocked and opened before pouncing on Daryl. Shuffling towards the living room wrapped in one another’s arms, Daryl dropped the keys on the floor shortly before Sam stripped off his shirt and tossed it to the side.

“Sam, baby…don’t we…need to talk…about what happened?” He managed to get out between kisses as they stumbled blindly in the dark in to the next room before falling on to the couch. With Sam laying on top of him, straddling his waist while she stripped off her shirt and tossed it over the back of the couch, Daryl tried to concentrate on doing the right thing, but as each piece of Sam’s outfit was shed to reveal her naked body all of his good intentions flew right out the proverbial window.

“Shut up.” Sam growled as she wiggled out of her bra, desperate to be with Daryl and forget the horrible turn of events for the night. Leaning over she captured his lips so that maybe he would quit talking; all the while fumbling with her hands at his belt buckle. Breaking away from the kiss, she caught his eyes in the dimly lit room and pleaded with him, her voice low and breathy, “I don’t want to talk…not about Bo or my parents. Right now, I just want you to love me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, reviews are much appreciated!


	49. Chapter 49

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos and reviews!!!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

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**Previously in the Present:**  


“You can go now. I’m fine.” Sam mumbled against her forearms and prayed that he would actually listen to her and do as she requested. For a brief moment, after hearing the back door close, Sam thought that he had done what she asked, but then she heard the sound of his boots on the hardwood floor just before he sank down on to the couch next to her. Sighing, Sam realized she was entirely too tired to argue with him and leaned over on to the couch; putting her head on a pillow at the opposite end, as far as she could get away from him without going to her bed, since she highly doubted she could climb the ladder to do so anyway. Reaching up, Sam grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and pulled it down and burrowed beneath it. If he wasn’t going to leave, then she was just going to ignore him.

 

_**The present: Friday, March 10th, 2012** _

 

By the time Sam woke up a vast majority of the day had gone by. Her head pounded, proof that having your head slammed against the pavement wasn't all fun and games, and her mouth was so dry it felt as though it had been stuffed to the brim with cotton balls. Blinking against the flood of sunlight coming through the windows to land squarely on her face, Sam sat up and held a hand to her head as though it needed to be propped up and came nearly face to face with Daryl, who was still sitting at the end of the couch where he'd been when she'd fallen asleep.

"I appreciate you bringing me here, but you really didn't need to stay." Sam eased around and put her feet on the ground, not at all surprised that her body ached from head to toe, a sure sign that the attack had been just as bad as she recalled. She scrubbed her hands over her face and felt a sharp stinging sensation on her palms. Looking down, she found that they were scrapped and peppered with dried blood and grit, which must have happened when she skidded across the ground when she had first fallen.

"Let me see." Daryl moved from the couch to sit on the coffee table, what was actually just an old trunk full of memories Sam had stashed away, and gingerly took her hands in his. "Why'd you not say something this morning?"

"Didn't realize it." Sam pulled her hands away from Daryl's and started poking at one of the scrapes, trying to get out the tiny pebble that was buried there. Wincing at the flash of pain, she avoided his gaze by holding her palm closer to her face to inspect it. "Adrenaline and all, I guess. Isn't that what happens? Get all excited and don't feel the pain? Would've thought they'd have been cleaner with the shower though."

"Need to clean it now. Don't want it infected." Daryl stood up and scooted past Sam's legs with the intention on grabbing medical supplies, but stopped when he realized he didn't know where they were or if she had any. "You got a first aid kit?"

"Yeah, in the bathroom closet. Red box, top shelf." Sam pointed towards the hallway at about the same time someone knocked on the back door. She started to stand up to go answer it, but was waved away by Daryl. Plopping back down on to the couch, she continued to lean forward with her elbows on her knees so she could see who it was. Not at all shocked to find her mother on the other side of the door, Sam leaned back against the couch and waited for the lecture. Surely there would be some choice words from her mother about being out all alone in the middle of the night.

"Daryl, fancy meeting you here." Donna said with an honest to goodness warm smile as she stepped inside, letting Daryl reach behind her to close the door since her hands were occupied holding a foil covered plate of food. "If I had known you were here I would have brought more food."

"Thanks, but I'm good. Sam's in there on the couch." Daryl shut the door behind Sam's mother and headed towards the bathroom to find the first aid kit. He had figured someone from her family would be by to check on her and had honestly thought they'd have come earlier in the day.

"Sam, sweetheart, are you alright?" Donna slid the plate of food on to the end table and sank down on to the couch next to her daughter. When Bo had shown up at their house shortly after dawn to tell them what had happened, it had taken every bit of willpower for her not to throw on her bathrobe and run straight over to check on her daughter. After she'd been informed that Daryl had appeared after the incident and was taking care of Sam, who was half asleep in his arms when they'd finally left the fitness center, it was Jim who'd told her to wait a while before barging in. Both to let Sam get some rest and to give them privacy. "Why on earth were you out there alone? Oh, I just don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

"Because I'm an idiot. That's why. I'm sorry if I scared you." Sam leaned over and wrapped her arms around her mother to comfort her, taking extra care not to brush her raw palms against anything. "I just wanted a hot bath. I couldn't sleep."

"I'm just glad you're safe. And, you are not an idiot. Don't say such things." Donna noticed the flinch of pain when Sam leaned back against the couch, as though her whole body hurt, and the awkward position of her hands. Reaching out, she gently took one of Sam's hands and inspected it. "Oh, Sam, those should have been cleaned up already. Do you want an infection?"

"She didn't know she'd hurt 'em til she woke up." Daryl said protectively, wanting to explain the situation so that Sam's mother would stop talking to her like she was a child. Donna Collins' tendency to patronize her youngest child was a trait that had annoyed Daryl since the first day he had met the woman. Sitting back down on the table, he laid the plastic red box down beside him and plucked out a pair of tweezers to remove the tiny pebbles embedded in her skin. "Here. Let me see it."

"Well, I guess it could've been worse than scrapped hands, huh?" Donna sighed and fought the desire to take over mending her baby girl's hands. It was a mother's duty to take care of her children, after all. But, she had to remind herself that Sam was grown and if she didn't have a problem with Daryl being there and taking care of her, then she was just going to have to deal with that. "There's no way you can play tomorrow though. I'll tell your father."

"I can play. It's just a few scratches, I'm fine." Sam replied automatically, knowing that was exactly what her mother wanted to hear. Since the outbreak, after the initial hysteria, their town had banded together to try to make the best of a horrible situation. In doing that, they'd decided that celebrations were in order sometimes. Of course, most of them were centered around weddings and birthdays, but back in the early days they celebrated not dying. Morbid, as it was kind of like that saying some offices have about going so many days without injury on site, but it worked. And, doing so definitely kept moral up around town, that's for sure.

"You play every week?" Daryl murmured as he focused intently on getting on particularly small piece of grit out of an inflamed section of skin; not wanting to cause Sam any more pain than she was already in. "Don't think no one's gonna argue if you take a night off...with you almost dying and all."

"Not every week. Just special occasions, sometimes monthly pending on how things are going. Tomorrow's for your group, since ya'll decided to stay." Sam shrugged and fought back the curse word that wanted to slip past her lips from sudden sharp pain on her palm. She'd only cussed a handful of times in front of her mother and would fight tooth and nail to never deal with the repercussions of doing so again. "I'll be fine."

"If you say so, but just let us know if you want to cancel. Daryl's right, no one is going to complain if you say no." Donna patted Sam on the knee reassuringly before standing up. "I've got to get back to the kitchen to start on dinner. Lindy's going to bring Jacey by after school to get some clothes and bring her over to our house after dinner. Krista's bringing Kline and Katherine over too."

"Jacey can stay here, Mom. There's no need for you to keep her." Sam looked up at her mother while Daryl wiped her hand down with alcohol and tried not to flinch at the sting.

"Nonsense. I haven't had the young ones to myself in a while. We'll have a good weekend." Motioning towards the plate, she said, "Eat your lunch. You need your strength. And, Cassie put some dessert on top for you. A brownie, maybe? Something she whipped up."

"Okay. Thanks, Mom." Sam waited until her mother was safely out the door before cracking a half smile and laughing lightly. She knew Cassie well enough to know that her best friend didn't bake for no reason at all and therefore, that was a very special brownie.

"You ain't got to play for us. We don't need no party." Daryl wrapped gauze around Sam's hand and secured it with a piece of tape before moving on to the next hand. "They ain't changed a bit, have they? Still got you running around like their damn puppet."

Sam opened her mouth to object, but knew deep down that Daryl was right. He was always right when it came to her. "They've changed, in their own way...know they did things wrong at times, but doesn't mean they don't mean well, you know? And, I like playing. It's the only thing I have left, from before."

"Can't believe you gave it all up for Jacey." Daryl shook his head in disbelief. After seeing how happy Sam had been on stage, performing for thousands of people around the world, winning awards and doing exactly what it was she loved with all her heart, he still couldn't wrap his mind around why she walked away to take care of the little sister he hadn't known he had. It was, oddly enough, another way he'd let Sam down. She'd had to give up her life to care for a child that should've been his responsibility.

"How could I not? Being on the road, not having a reliable schedule? That's no way to raise a child." Their eyes connected briefly before he went back to caring for her hand and her heart skipped a beat as she watched him carefully work on the wounds. She dipped her head as a sudden memory of a kiss he'd rejected flashed through her mind. Cheeks burning with embarrassment, Sam wanted to curl up and die at the thought. Trying to focus on the topic at hand, she continued, "Your dad only stayed a little while anyway. Maybe a couple of months at best. We'd just finished up on tour and were taking a break before starting work on a new album. He swooped in with this story about how her mom had walked out and he couldn't take care of her by himself. I offered to help out. Helped him rent a place, found him some part time work. Thought I should keep an eye on him, you know? I just wanted to make sure she was okay. I hated the thought of Jacey with him, all alone, not after what he did to you."

"How'd you end up with her?" Daryl secured the gauze on her other hand and started putting the supplies back in the box. "Without him, I mean?"

"He had to work late one day, so I picked Jacey up from day care." Leaning back, she laid her hands down palm up in her lap. "I stupidly gave him some money...to help out with bills. Daycare isn't cheap, I will have you know. Anyway, he just never came back. Cleaned out what little he had in the house and split. It took a lot of time and money, but eventually I got custody of Jacey. Managed to keep her out of foster care all together, which was almost as hard as legally adopting her."

"Seems like dear old dad ain't changed. How much you give him anyway?" Daryl closed the box and moved back to the couch, because an old steamer trunk wasn't as comfortable as one might think. "Just wanna know what the magic number is...to leave your kid, that is."

"Twenty grand." Sam grimaced and shook her head. "Yeah, I know. Stupid. But, I remembered you saying that things at home got worse when the money was tight and I didn't want to risk it. I had the money, so I gave it to him. I honestly didn't think he'd leave."

"Damn." Daryl ran a hand through his hair and leaned back against the couch. He knew that Sam had money, between her music career and the trust fund she'd have had access to at twenty-five there should have been more than enough to write a check to a deadbeat. "Eh, glad it happened. He ain't got no business raising a kid and Jacey's better off with you anyhow.”

"Thanks for that. Honestly. It was life changing, that's for sure. Took some time for my family to adjust to it...not Jacey, because they loved her from the get-go...but, to understand why I fought for her so hard, but they came around. And, man, they are so good with her." Sam blinked away tears that suddenly decided to spring to life. "She's mine, my daughter. I know she's not, really...like blood wise, but she's mine in my heart."

"That's all that matters. Blood don't mean you're family." Hell, the majority of people in his life that he considered to be his family weren't related to him in the slightest, but he cared for them more than he ever cared for most of his blood kin. With the exception of Merle and Jacey, there wasn't another Dixon on the planet that he gave two shits about. Well, unless you counted Sam, but she'd given up the Dixon name a long time ago legally, although she was still one in his heart.


	50. Chapter 50

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the feedback on the previous chapters. I truly appreciate it.

  
[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

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**The present: Friday, March 10th, 2012**  


While it took a great deal of badgering, Sam finally managed to get Daryl to go home and get some rest, or anything else he wanted to do so long as he wasn't in her apartment watching over her like a hawk. Exhausted in spite of sleeping until well after lunch, she ached from head to toe and wanted to just sit back and relax without feeling like she was under observation. Plus, her embarrassment at kissing Daryl and being rejected stung something awful and being around him just made it worse. Sam didn't even really know why she had done it anyway. It was one of those things that just made sense at the time, but looking back was probably one of the stupidest things she'd ever done...and she'd done a lot of stupid things in her life. Thankfully, Daryl hadn't brought the subject up so she felt like she could just pretend it never happened.

After dutifully eating the lunch her mother had brought over, or at least part of it, and taking a short nap, Sam had just curled back up on the couch with the plastic wrapped brownies in her hand when the back door opened and Jacey came flying inside. Shoving the pouch of chocolatey brownies underneath the blanket, Sam sat up and opened her arms just in time to catch the excited little girl in a bear hug. "I missed you." Sam muttered against Jacey's golden locks before placing a kiss to her forehead.

"Aunt Lindy and Uncle Bo told me what happened last night. They said a bad guy hurt you." Jacey blinked away the tears in her eyes as she gave a quick glance over Sam to inspect her for damage. "Did he hurt you bad?"

"He wasn't a bad man, Jace...he didn't know what he was doing. Remember how we talked about what happens if you die and no one is there to make sure you stay that way?" Sam patted the couch cushion next to her, motioning for Jacey to sit down with her. "I'm just fine. Got a few bumps and scratches, but nothing that won't heal."

"She's been worried sick all day, even though we promised you were fine." Lindy sat down on the loveseat and smiled, although it was laced with sadness. "She just had to see it for herself, I guess."

"Thanks for taking care of her." Sam wrapped her arm around Jacey's narrow shoulders and pulled her in close. She couldn't help but think that if she hadn't let Lindy talk her in to taking Jacey home with her family so she could get rest that she never would have ended up in the horrible situation last night. "Mom said she's taking the young ones for the weekend?"

"Yeah, Mason said he'd take them over after dinner." Lindy replied, referring to her oldest son, who was assigned to the night shift patrol. "Krista and David were up all night with Kline, stomach ache. I doubt he's sick, most likely ate too much of that cake your mom made the other night. They aren't as used to sweets as kids used to be. Anyway, Donna said she wanted to keep the kids so everyone can get rest for tomorrow. I can't believe you're agreeing to play."

"It's just some scratches, nothing serious. If I can't play the guitar then I can sing and let Clay join us to fill in the spot." The idea had only just come to her and she thought it might not be such a bad idea to track down her nephew’s best friend that she'd taught to play the guitar years ago. He certainly knew the majority of their songs and was a damn fine guitar player and a heck of a singer. "We always throw a party for new town members and honestly, after last night, I could stand to have some fun."

"Jacey, sweetie, why don't you go pack a small bag for the weekend so I can talk to Sam." Lindy stood up and traded places with a reluctant to leave Jacey, but won out in the end when she said there wouldn't be any toys packed if she had to get everything together. Once Jacey was in her room, Lindy said, "I heard Daryl stayed with you today."

"He did. Came to get me in the showers last night and refused to leave me alone. It was...well, it was nice...and weird, very weird." Sam looked down at her gauze wrapped hands. Sighing, she confided in her sister-in-law, "I kissed him. I'm such an idiot, Linds. He was carrying me home, like literally carrying me in his arms, and I don't know what came over me, but the next thing I know...I just kissed him. And, he didn't kiss me back."

Having been a part of the Collins family for twenty-six years, Lindy was well versed in all things Sam, who had only been five years old when she had started dating Bo in college. Lindy had taken the small child under her wing and treated her as though she was her own and had hated ever seeing Sam upset or unhappy and today was no different. Putting a hand on Sam's knee, Lindy couldn't help but try to alleviate the pain that she was experiencing. "Sam, sweetie, last night was horrible and you were upset. We all do strange things under stress so don't beat yourself up over this. Daryl probably knows that, too. I wouldn't worry about it. But, you should talk to Ryan, I wouldn't want him hearing that from anyone but you."

"I broke up with Ryan. Yesterday." Sighing, Sam stood up and paced around the small living area. "See? I'm being an idiot! A silly, stupid idiot who just runs around and messes things up. What am I doing?"

"I think that under the circumstances you're handling the situation well, personally. Your ex-husband shows up out of the blue, twelve years later. You haven't been sleeping well or eating regularly since his group showed up. And yes, I noticed the signs. You've got dark circles the size of tires under your eyes and you look like you've lost weight in just the short time he's been here. Plus, you were attacked last night and nearly killed." Standing up, Lindy intercepted Sam and hugged her tightly, before pulling away and saying, "You need rest and food. And, honestly, you need to really consider what you want with Daryl. I think once you decide exactly what it is you want, or expect, from him things will settle down."

"But what if I don't know what I want?" Sam asked quietly, wanting to have this conversation without Jacey hearing it as the child had consistently asked over the years why Sam wasn't married to Daryl if she still loved him. It was very difficult to explain to a child that happy endings only existed in fairy tales. "And, he probably doesn't even want me, you know? I mean, he was the one that left me in the first place. I'm sure the only reason he stayed is for Jacey and I get that. I'm probably just making more out of it than there is because..."

"Because what?" Lindy prodded Sam to finish her sentence. While she was fairly certain of the reasons behind Sam's behavior lately, she hoped that by getting Sam to admit to her feelings for Daryl that she might finally accept that she never got over him, never stopped loving him, and most certainly never moved on, despite having a relationship with Ryan.

"Ok, I'm packed!" Jacey announced brightly as she pulled an obviously overstuffed Hello Kitty suitcase down the hallway behind her. "Are you coming with me to eat dinner, Sam?"

"Absolutely." Sam answered as steadily as possible as she ducked her head to wipe at the tears in her eyes. She was grateful for the interruption, not ready to answer Lindy because she wasn't a hundred percent sure of her feelings towards Daryl just yet. Sure, she loved him. Always had and likely always would, but did that mean she wanted to start up a relationship with him? The answer to that wasn't an easy one to make, even if he was willing. "I need to get ready though, so why don't you go on with Aunt Lindy and I'll meet you there in a little bit?"

With Jacey in the room, Lindy knew that any discussion of Sam's feelings towards Daryl were dropped since she refused to talk about her ex in front of his sister in any manner that wasn't completely favorable. Lindy had to appreciate the fact that despite how badly their relationship had ended, Sam never once said anything bad about Daryl in front of Jacey and didn't tolerate any one else doing so either. Stepping away from Sam, Lindy took control of Jacey's suitcase and asked, "Did you pack actual clothes or just toys?"

"There's clothes, I promise." Jacey smiled sweetly in a way that screamed that the clothes in side weren't exactly what Lindy had in mind for her to pack, before she ran over to Sam to give her a hug and asked, "You promise you'll come eat with me?"

"Cross my heart." Sam walked them to the back door and waited until they were at the bottom before closing the door to go get ready for dinner, which was only about an hour away judging from the battery powered clock Ryan had brought back from a scavenging trip a while back. An hour gave her plenty of time to get ready for dinner, so instead of hurrying up to the loft to get dressed Sam plopped back down on the couch and pulled out the slightly squished bundle of Cassie's special brownies and immediately shoved a large bite of chocolatey goodness in to her mouth. Sure, they weren't the greatest tasting things in the world, because sugar was a rarity nowadays and Cassie didn't exactly possess the baking skills to make delicious brownies in the apocalypse, but she did know how to put that special ingredient in it to make all of your worries slip away.

An hour later, dressed in something other than sweats and feeling quite pleasant, Sam pulled open one of the heavy wooden doors to the auditorium and was assaulted by the loud chatter of a fully filled room and delicious aroma of her mother's beef stew. Although Lindy had harped at her about taking better care of herself, Sam bypassed the food line and headed straight for the group of tables where her family was already eating dinner, taking the seat that had been saved for her between Jacey and Josh.

Their family had been very fortunate after the turn, losing only two of its members. Josh's wife, Rebecca, had been attacked at the high school, when one of her chemistry students who'd had a history of seizures had died out in the hallway between classes, and by the time his absence was noted, came back suddenly when she was bending over him to try and help him. They'd also lost Caitlyn, Bo and Lindy's twenty year old daughter who had unfortunately been caught by a herd of dead that attacked at a football game. Other than those two, the rest of the family was alive and well, at least for the time being.

"I'm gonna eat. I just didn't want to deal with the line." Sam promised after being given the stink eye from Lindy, who was sitting across from her, gesturing her bandaged hand over her shoulder at the single file line that wrapped half of the room as proof.

"They're not here." Jim informed Sam upon seeing her eyes scan the room, no doubt looking for Daryl and his group. "Off burying their dead."

"Oh. Do you think I should go, too?" Sam leaned forward so she could see her father better. "I mean, after last night I think I should...I did kill him."

"The infection killed him, Sam. None of it's your fault." Jim replied, knowing that while his comments were the logical answer they likely weren't what his daughter wanted to hear. "I'll have your mother save you a bowl if you want to go though."

"Do you mind if I leave?" Sam turned to Jacey and asked permission since she had promised to eat dinner with her. Reaching out, she tucked a lock of golden curly hair behind Jacey's ear so she wouldn't end up with stew all over it. "I'll come by Mom and Dad's to spend some time with you after, I just want to go by and pay my respects." When Jacey shook her head and said she didn't mind, Sam kissed her on the head and headed out the back door towards the cemetery.

Since it was still light enough out to take the shortcut, Sam barreled through the overgrown underbrush once more for that week, even though it seemed like a lifetime had passed since she'd tracked down Daryl for Rick. Within a few minutes, she was standing at the edge of the cemetery and suddenly feeling very stupid for showing up for the funeral of two men she didn't even know; one of which she had only met when being attacked by him.

They were standing around two dirt filled mounds on the opposite side from where Sam was, with Daryl hovering at the edge, almost off by himself as though he wasn't exactly a part of the group. Quietly, Sam skirted around the edge of the cemetery to stand next to Daryl and did so without saying a word. Standing next to him, shoulders barely brushing, Sam reached out and took his hand in hers, gently enough to not hurt her injured palm. This wasn't a time to make her needs or wants known, it wasn't a time to focus on whatever was going on between them. This was a time for reflection and mourning for the dead.


	51. Chapter 51

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

__  
**Previously in the past:**  


Sam and Daryl finally had the sex! But, Sam's oldest brother, Bo, pulled them over and ruined all the post-coital goodness. Now we find out what the aftermath of Bo finding out about Sam and Daryl's relationship is! Hold on to your butt,s people...this could be a bumpy ride.

 

_**The Past: Sunday, July 11th, 1999** _

Sunday morning, Daryl was awakened suddenly by the shrill sound of the smoke alarm blaring loudly. Realizing that Sam was no longer in bed with him, he flung back the covers and as naked as the day he was born ran towards the kitchen, where he found Sam flailing around madly. Shaking his head, he pushed past her to fix the cause of the problem and pulled the cord from the toaster out of the wall so that whatever she had in there would stop burning before poking the reset button on the alarm to stop its incessant ringing. After opening the window above the sink, he turned back to look at Sam who was standing in the middle of the kitchen with a look of sheer horror and embarrassment on her face.

"You trying to burn down the house?" Daryl asked with a laugh as he pulled her in to his arms. Dressed only in one of his button down shirts, barefoot and hair a complete mess, Daryl thought she was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever met and couldn't believe she'd chosen him to be with. "All you had to do was wake me up, didn't have to set fire to the place."

"I didn't mean to!" Sam cried, burying her head against his chest. One of these days she was just going to have to accept the fact that all kitchen appliances hated her and that she would never be a chef. "Seriously! I just wanted to make you breakfast. It's not like I meant to burn the toast."

"It's a good thing I ain't hungry then." Daryl joked as he chuckled at the fact Sam had actually set off the smoke alarm by simply trying to make toast. Running his hands down her sides to slip beneath the hem of the shirt, he found that there was nothing on underneath. Cocking an eyebrow at her suggestively, he growled, "Well, I ain't hungry for no burnt toast. Could maybe eat something else though."

"That sounds better than toast." Sam replied, her voice husky as he picked her up and carted her back to the bedroom, where he tossed her in to the middle of the bed before crawling up her body.

Not in the mood to deal with the buttons on the shirt Sam was wearing, Daryl pushed it up her body and slipped it over her head, baring her to him once more. He couldn’t help but wish he'd taken her suggestion at staying in the night before and eating pizza naked in bed since by doing so would have meant they'd have never ran in to Bo on the way home. He dreaded the thought of what Sam was going to have to deal with once she got home and wanted to delay the inevitable as long as possible. Maybe he could just keep her occupied in bed and hold her hostage? While the thought was definitely one he could get behind, he doubted that it would end well either.

Slipping a hand down her body, his fingers delved between her legs and found that she was already wet and ready for him. He'd never been with a woman that responded to him as eagerly as Sam's body did and that just made him want her more. Sliding two fingers inside her, he moved them in and out slowly while rubbing the pad of his thumb over the sensitive nub buried beneath her thatch of golden soft curls. Writhing beneath him, Sam panted with desire and was begging for him to be inside her.

When Daryl slid in to her, sheathed protectively in a condom, Sam moaned with pleasure as her body adjusted to having him inside her. His lips were on her neck, licking and nipping along the skin, while his hands explored her body and his hips rocked against hers. Moving together as one, they slowly brought one another to climax, shuddering in one another’s arms as they came together.

Breathless, Sam waited for him to return to her arms after disposing of the condom and welcomed him back against her sweat glistened skin when he crawled back over her. Holding Daryl tightly in her arms, his head resting gently on her chest, pressed between the small globes of her breasts and cradled between her still trembling thighs, Sam traced her fingers lightly over the scarred skin on his back and beamed with happiness. Sadly though, that happiness would soon fade since she had to muster up the courage to go home soon.

Eventually, after several hours and one more round of sex, Sam begrudgingly admitted that it was time to get ready to go home since Cassie was supposed to be by to pick her up and take her to get her car at five o'clock, which was only fifteen short minutes away. After a quick run through the shower, basically enough to wash the smell of a whole day's worth of sex off her body, Sam pulled her hair in to a low ponytail and slipped on a pair of jeans and t-shirt before shoving all of her belongings back in to her suitcase; taking special care to bury the camera at the very bottom.

They were in the kitchen when Cassie pulled up outside and blared her horn. Sam poked her head out the door and waved to let Cassie know she'd be out in a minute before heading back in to the house to gather up her belongings. She had just put on her cowboy hat and shoved her keys in to her pocket when Daryl wrapped his arms around her from behind and nuzzled her neck.

"You sure you gonna be alright?" He murmured with his lips against the soft skin at the nape of her neck. He held on to her tightly, as though that simple act would keep her from going home. "Could just stay here."

Sam wriggled in his arms until he loosened his hold on her enough for her to turn around and face him. She pushed the brim of her hat back so she could look up at him and kissed his lips. "I'll be fine. They'll yell and be disappointed in me for lying, but that's it."

"Call me later then." Daryl kissed the tip of her nose before pushing the brim of her hat back down. He'd never been fond of hats, especially cowboy hats, on women until seeing it on Sam's head. She looked both precious and sexy as hell in the light brown woven hat. "Come on. I'll walk you out."

Sam followed him outside, carrying her guitar case while he took possession of her suitcase, looking oddly masculine toting the bright pink bag. He opened the back door and loaded in her stuff and took her in to his arms after shutting the door. Not giving two shits what anyone thought of her being in his arms, his mouth pressed against hers in a deep kiss, since it was only a matter of time before the whole town knew.

"I love you. Call me if you need me." Daryl opened the passenger side door and held on to it as Sam stood to face him with the door between them. She leaned in and brushed another soft kiss of goodbye across his lips and whispered, "I love you, too."

When Sam was finally inside the car with the door closed, Cassie looked at her with wide eyes and said, "Might as well put up a billboard. Ya'll ain't exactly being discrete, you know."

"No point. Everyone already knows by now." Sam replied with a grimace as she pulled the seat belt across her chest. "Bo pulled us over last night. Said he was going to tell the parents when they got home, which was about two hours ago. I'm in for a real fun night."

"Shit and damn. You sure you wanna go home then? We could make a run for the border." Cassie pulled out of the driveway and headed towards her house so Sam could pick up her car. "We'd need some fake ID's, but I got that covered."

"Tempting, but I'm really okay with it. I'm tired of the sneaking around and stuff." While she knew that the night ahead of her would be nothing short of torment, she was honestly glad that the whole deception and lies thing was behind her. "I'm with Daryl and they'll just have to accept that."

With a promise to call Cassie that night, after Daryl of course, Sam crammed all of her belongings in to her car and headed home. The closer she got to the house that had held nothing but happy memories, the worse her nerves got. By the time she pulled in to the driveway, alongside all of her brothers cars, and got out of the car she thought she might just be sick to her stomach. Standing on the porch, arms weighted down with two suitcases and two guitar cases, Sam debated between going inside and facing her family or just getting back in her car and taking Cassie up on the run for the border. Of course, her family was waiting for her to return and had, in fact, noticed that bright red sports car pull in to the driveway, so when she didn't immediately come inside they came to her. Or, rather, her mother came to get her.

"Samantha, glad you could make it home in time for dinner." Donna took possession of some of the items in Sam's arms and motioned for her to come inside. "We'll just leave these in the hallway for now. We need to talk."

"Yes ma'am." Those four little words had to be the worst four words in the dictionary. Nothing good ever followed the sentence, 'We need to talk'. Dropping her bags in the hallway, she took off her hat and perched it on top of one of the guitar cases since her mother didn't allow anyone to wear a hat indoors, and followed her mother in to the living room where she was met by her father and all four brothers. Family meeting time, apparently. She wasn't surprised to find all four of them there, more annoyed actually. But, she was thankful that it was just her brothers and not their wives, too, Sam took a seat across from everyone and had the overwhelming feeling like she was on trial. "I guess Bo filled ya'll in already?"

"I honestly don't know what I am more disappointed in, Samantha. The fact you've been lying to us for God knows how long or the fact you felt like you needed to do so." Jim Collins sighed and looked at his little girl with eyes full of disappointment. They'd managed to raise a daughter who had not once in her life ever lied to them or caused them embarrassment, never raised her voice or acted like anything other than a lady, and yet, all of the sudden she was acting just like all the other teenage girls he had heard horror stories about over the years. He should just be thankful she wasn't acting this way as a fourteen year old like her best friend had, but he couldn't be. "How long have you been lying to us exactly?"

"Since I came home for summer break." Sam admitted, feeling like a criminal as her father stared her down with an expression she had never been faced with from him. "I didn't mean to, really. It just sort of happened. I didn't think ya'll would approve of me seeing Daryl, because he's older, and I didn't want to even cause a fight until I knew how I felt about him. I'm really sorry, Daddy. I am. I hated lying to you, to all of you, but...well, I did it anyway and I feel horrible about it. But, it's all out there now and no reason to lie anymore."

"Ah, yes, Daryl...the young man we were under the assumption was dating Cassie. I have to say, after reading some information on him I honestly find him to be better suited for her than for you, Samantha." Jim reached over and took the pack of papers from Bo, who had willingly turned them over although they weren't technically supposed to leave the police department. "Do you know anything at all about Mr. Dixon, Sam? Anything at all other than the fact you think he's cute?"

"I know plenty about Daryl, Dad. I know enough." Sam glared at the papers in her father's hand and wanted to know what they had to do with Daryl, but figured she wouldn't have to wait long to find out. She figured that whatever was on those papers were, in her family's opinion, enough to prove that Daryl wasn't good enough for her and stubbornly stuck her chin out and said, "I know I love him and that's all that matters."

"Really? Huh, so his arrest record doesn't bother you? I didn't know I raised a daughter who wanted to associate with common criminals. I thought we taught you better." Jim stood up and walked over to Sam, tossing down the stack of papers in her lap. "Give it a read. Let's see how well you know your boyfriend."

Sam blinked away the tears that burned in her eyes. She had never disappointed her father, had certainly never had him speak to her in the tone of voice he was using now and no matter how much she wanted to stick to her convictions about Daryl, the little girl inside her wanted to desperately please her father as she had always done. With shaking hands, she picked up the papers in her lap and stared down at them. At first glance, it just appeared to be gibberish, a jumble of words that probably made sense to the people that put the information together, but was incomprehensible to Sam. After reading through the first page twice, she realized she was looking at Daryl's criminal arrest history, something she hadn't known he'd had and her heart dropped a little bit. Scanning through it, she saw charge after charge of arrests he'd racked up, but finally noticed that nothing on it was anything more than a misdemeanor, nothing violent or related to weapons, and the last charge was a good six years ago. "I don't care. There's nothing here that affects me, Dad. And, it was eons ago."

"Seriously, Sam? Drug charges? A DUI? Theft? Those don't bother you?" Bo asked incredulously. "Who cares if he hasn't been arrested lately? Could just mean he hasn't been caught. You think about that? Geez. I thought you were smarter than that."

"Why are ya'll even here? Why are my brothers even here to lecture me about who I'm dating or not being where I said I'd be? Ya'll aren't my parents, too! No matter how much you act like it all the freaking time." Sam tossed the papers to the floor and crossed her arms, pouting like a petulant child as she glared at her brothers.

"Samantha James! You do not get to sit there and act like that." Her mother stepped in to chastise her, while picking up the papers that had scattered across the rug. "It's a family meeting and they're family. If you hadn't been running around acting the way you have we wouldn't be having this discussion, so think about who's really in the wrong here."

"I can' believe I let you talk me in to not saying anything about finding you in a bar." Tyler growled and pointed a finger at Sam. "You were there with him, in a bar, and lying to me then. You've spent too much time with Cassie, she's rubbing off on you."

"You just shut your stupid mouth about Cassie! She's a better person than you'll ever be, Tyler. You do worse stuff than her and are nothing but a hypocritical butthead. So shut up!" Sam narrowed her eyes and felt the rage that was simmering just below the surface start to bubble over. "And, how dare any of you judge Cassie or Daryl. None of you are perfect either."

"It's like I don't even know you, Samantha." Jim shook his head and looked at his daughter like she'd just sprouted an extra head. "And, this isn't about Cassie anyway. You already know our feelings about her and have always chosen to look the other way. Now you're doing the same thing with this Daryl. I swear, it's like you've got your head shoved up your ass."

"I know what matters, Dad. I know he loves me! I know he treats me like I'm a princess. I know he wants me to be happy. That's enough for me. I don't know why it's not enough for you." Sam rubbed her hands across her eyes to wipe away the hot tears that were falling on to her cheeks.

"You may think he's great, Sam, but we're looking at the bigger picture. Have you met his brother? Spent any time with that fine example of a human being." Bo scoffed and picked up another printout, reading from it instead of handing it to Sam to do so. "Robbery, Assault, Weapons Violations, Trafficking of Illegal Substances, and an extensive list of other arrests longer than my leg. Apples don't fall far from the tree, Sam. Daryl's likely as bad as his brother and I shudder to think about his parents."

"Daryl's not his brother." Sam ground out between clenched teeth. "Just like I'm not like my brothers. He's a good man and I love him and there is nothing any of you can say or do to make me think otherwise."

"Oh, Sam, don't you think for one minute that I can't stop you from seeing him." Her father replied without skipping a beat, his voice low and on the verge of menacing. "I will not have my daughter out running around with a common criminal, a thug."

"That's not really your decision, is it, Daddy? It's my life and my decision." Sam pointed out, her voice calmer than she expected it to sound. Inside, her heart was racing, her breaths coming out in short pants, beads of sweat broke out across her forehead and, as she squeezed her eyes tightly together, the anger that she'd been holding at bay finally spilled over. Standing up, she glared at her father and said, "He's right. Daryl's completely right about you...all of you...and how you treat me. I'm not your puppet! I'm not some doll you can dress up and make me do and say exactly as you want. I'm a person, too, and I make the decisions in my life. I am an adult now. And, I'm done! I am utterly done with letting you tell me what I can wear, what songs I can play, where I can play them, what I can and can't study at school, who I can be friends with. You hear me?! Done! From here on out, I make choices for myself and you know what? If ya'll don't like them you can keep your stupid opinions to yourself, because I am beyond caring right now."

Without bothering to wait for a reply from anyone, Sam marched out of the living room and out the front door; something that she probably shouldn't have done if she was really the adult she proclaimed herself to be, but staying in that house one second longer was just too much. She sprinted around the side of the house and jumped in her car, pulled out the car keys she was thankful she had shoved in her pocket when she'd gotten home, and jabbed the key in to the ignition. Flying down the driveway, she slammed on the brakes and shoved the car in drive and sped down the road. There was only one place she wanted to be right now and that was in Daryl's arms.

A little surprised that no one came after her, Sam pulled in to Daryl's driveway and shoved the gearshift in to park. She didn't know what she'd have done if he wasn't home, but since she had a key to his house now she would have probably just gone in and waited on him. Thankfully though, he was there and was sitting on the carport steps smoking a cigarette when she flew in to the driveway. She was out of the car and in his arms in only a matter of seconds. Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed against his chest.

"Sam? Baby, what's wrong?" Daryl tossed the half smoke cigarette to the ground so he could properly hug Samantha, who was trembling and sobbing in against him. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and asked again, "What happened? You gotta say something, talk to me."

"They're just...it was horrible. I...I..." Sam sniffled and tightened her hold on him. "Can you just please hold me?"

"Yeah, I got you. It's gonna be okay." Daryl kissed her on the top of the head once more, letting his lips stay pressed against her hair as she continued to weep in his arms; his heart breaking a little bit more with each tear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I shall be sitting here at work on pins and needles awaiting the response of my dear readers!


	52. Chapter 52

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

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**Previously in the Present:**  


They were standing around two dirt filled mounds on the opposite side from where Sam was, with Daryl hovering at the edge, almost off by himself as though he wasn't exactly a part of the group. Quietly, Sam skirted around the edge of the cemetery to stand next to Daryl and did so without saying a word. Standing next to him, shoulders barely brushing, Sam reached out and took his hand in hers, gently enough to not hurt her injured palm. This wasn't a time to make her needs or wants known, it wasn't a time to focus on whatever was going on between them. This was a time for reflection and mourning for the dead.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

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**The present: Friday early evening, March 10th, 2012**  


 

"Thank you for coming." Rick said to Sam after the service, which a pastor from town had been kind enough to come down and officiate. "I can't express how sorry I am about what happened last night. We...I knew that Gabriel wasn't doing well and should have had someone sitting in there with him, keeping guard at all times, just in case."

"It's not your fault, Rick. It's the fault of whatever or whoever did this to us, but not yours. Both of the doctor's knew it was a possibility, too." Sam dropped Daryl's hand and stepped away from him to talk to Rick, to reassure him that what happened shouldn't stay on his conscience. "I'm sorry you lost people though."

"It could've been worse." Rick looked over his shoulder at the other members of his group, took notice of their grief and sorrow in spite of not knowing either of the deceased all that well. A few of them had started bonding with Noah, especially Tara, and would grieve his death, but none of them knew Gabriel well and while his death would mean a loss for humanity, for the living still left on the earth, it wouldn't linger with them forever. Yet again, he felt bad for being relieved that the attack hadn't spread out to claim the lives of one of the member's he considered family. He was also thankful that Sam had come out alive with only minor injuries instead of the other option, because he doubted that Daryl would have been able to live with himself after that. Losing Beth and Sam so close together might have just been his breaking point. "Your father said the town was putting together a party for us tomorrow and that you're playing. Daryl said you refused to reschedule. I just want to say that we're happy enough just being here, we don't need any celebration, especially with your hands being injured."

"I appreciate that, really." Sam tried to ignore Daryl who was standing off to the side boring a hole through her with his eyes. "It's what we do around here though. Try to have some sort of normalcy, some fun on occasion. I'll be fine. I'm actually going to see if someone can step in and play for me, so my hands won't be a problem if that works out."

"Alright then, if you insist. I know my family could use some fun, plus, pretty sure Maggie's looking forward to it." Rick smiled, a genuine smile of happiness that hadn't been on his face in a long time, although with the gnarly beard his smile had a tendency to look like a grimace.

"I actually need to talk to her about that. Gonna let her pick a few songs, being such a big fan and all." Sam returned Rick's smile and searched for Maggie over his shoulder, finding her standing on the other side of the graves with Glenn. "I'll see you tomorrow afternoon then."

"Hey Sam, I was surprised to see you here." Maggie let go of Glenn's hand long enough to give Sam a hug that she clearly wasn't expecting. "I'm so sorry about what happened. How are you?"

"Scratched and bruised, but otherwise fine." Sam announced while holding up her hands to show off the bandages. "Listen, about tomorrow? Would you like to help me work on a set list? Pick out some songs?"

"I would. Very much so." Maggie smiled brightly, but tried not to show her exact level of happiness in such a grim setting. They were, after all, technically still at a funeral. "When?"

"I need to run by my parent's house to see Jacey for a bit, but I still have a music room there if you want to come along. Or, you can come by my apartment in a little while? Might actually be a little less stressful there, no kids and my mother won't be hovering over us." Sam turned to Glenn and asked, "If you don't mind her hanging out with me tonight?"

"No, of course not." Glenn took note of the happiness in his wife's eyes and couldn't deny her the opportunity to hang out with someone she had adored for years as a fan; especially not in light of how dark their lives had been lately. "I'll walk her over in a little while. We're going to eat dinner first, your mom said she'd save some for us."

"Okay, good, I'll see you later then." Sam turned to leave, but was intercepted by Daryl. He was too close. Standing there, staring her. "Hey."

"After last night, you're still out walking around by yourself." Daryl shook his head and all but growled at Sam and her stubborn, thick head. When he'd found her sitting in the bottom of the shower, shivering from shock and cold, he hadn't thought about anything else but wrapping his arms around her and keeping her safe. And now, here she was again, running around town alone in the dark. It was like she hadn't learned a single fucking thing from getting attacked. At least this time she had her pistol strapped to her belt, instead of a measly pocket knife.

Sam wanted to argue with him, but couldn't since he was actually proving a very valid point. "I really didn't think about it. Dad said what ya'll were doing and I came over. Come to think of it, no one even mentioned walking with me."

"Cause ya'll are damned complacent around here. Don't use your damn brains anymore." Daryl watched as Sam narrowed her eyes at him and braced himself for her anger, and was surprised when she bit back whatever words were on the tip of her tongue.

"You're right. We have been." Sam noticed the others heading away from the gravesite, presumably going back in to town for the dinner that was being held for them. "You going with them?"

"Yeah," Daryl angled his head so he could see how far ahead they were. The first of the group was just disappearing in to the wood line; their flashlights beaming brightly in the cluster of trees and overgrown bushes. Glancing back at Sam, realizing that she'd likely skipped dinner since she was with them, he asked, "You eat yet?"

"No, but I told Jacey I'd come see her at my parents’ house after I leave here. I'm not hungry anyway." Sam stepped to the side and started following the others. Daryl fell in to step with her. "Maggie's going to come by my place later, so I need to get a move on it."

"Well, you ain't walking there alone. I'll walk you over first." Daryl figured she'd argue with him, but she didn't. Instead, she picked up the pace without saying a word. They walked in silence to her parents’ house, which wasn't too far from the cemetery if you went through the woods behind the house instead of following the roads. Thankfully, Daryl had a flashlight on him, which was nice since she'd dropped hers the night before and hadn't gotten it back.

"Thanks for walking with me." Sam stopped at the edge of the clearing at the rear of her parent’s property, the same place that Daryl used to go through to sneak in to the house to see her at night. "Mason should be here, Bo's oldest son, he's on night patrol. He can walk me home."

Daryl waited until she had passed through the shrubbery and around the pool, which now looked like a pond without proper maintenance, and was safely inside the house before continuing on to town to eat with the others. He thought about joining her, spending time with both her and Jacey, but highly doubted he was welcomed in that house, no matter how accommodating Jim and Donna Collins were being by not booting him out of town the minute he showed up.

"Hey kiddo," Sam kissed Jacey on the top of the head and sat down on the floor next to her. Not seeing or hearing her niece and nephew, she asked, “Where's Kline and Katherine?"

"They're not here yet." Jacey put down her dolls and pinned Sam with a very serious look for a seven year old. "Grandma Donna said that she heard you and Ryan broke up."

"We did. I'm sorry I didn't tell you." Sam hated to see the sadness in Jacey's eyes and regretted not telling her sooner so she didn't have to hear about it through the grapevine. Jacey had been very close to Ryan, who'd stepped in and acted like a cross between an older brother and father figure. "But, he still loves you. I promise. And you'll still see him around, when he's not out on runs."

"Do you not love him anymore?" Jacey chewed on her bottom lip in a manner very reminiscent of Sam when she was nervous or analyzing something too much. "Or was he mean to you?"

"Oh, sweetie, you know Ryan would never be mean to me. It's just, well...I love Ryan very much. But sometimes, that's not enough. I want him to be happy and us being together wasn't going to do that." Sam brushed that wayward lock of hair out of Jacey's eyes, that one piece that adamantly refused to stay in a barrette or braid. "I just wasn't in love with him and I'm not sure I ever was. Does that make sense?"

Jacey nodded and looked back down at the dolls she was playing with. Without looking up at Sam, she asked, "Is that why you and Daryl aren't together anymore? You weren't in love with him?"

"I think, with Daryl and me, it was the opposite. We were too in love and it still fell apart. Sometimes people just aren't supposed to be together forever, sometimes you just have to let them go even if you still love them." Over the years, Sam had tried to explain to Jacey why she wasn't married to Daryl anymore, but when you're trying to delicately explain a sensitive situation to a child it was difficult to do while trying to leave out the more adult issues.

"So, do you still love Daryl? Like really love him?" Jacey finally looked up at Sam with her eyes brimming with hope, like those children of divorced couples who secretly long for their parents to get back together; which, in a way, was kind of how the situation was for Jacey.

"Way to ask the hard question, kiddo." Sam smiled at Jacey to let her know she wasn't mad or upset with her for asking the questions, but took a moment to choose her words carefully before answering. "I have loved Daryl since the first day I saw him. He got off that motorcycle and took off his helmet and from that second on...he was it. And yes, I still love him. I think I always will. But, Jace, that doesn't mean we are still in love or that we're going to get married or anything else, okay? He's here for you, to get to know you and we need to focus on that."

"But, if he said he loved you, too, and you love him? Then would that mean you'd get married again?" Jacey cut a look at Sam and asked the question she really wanted to know the answer to, to find out if that mean kid in her class had been right. "And then you'd have kids of your own?"

"Jace, sweetheart, come here," Sam pulled Jacey in to her lap and wrapped her arms around her. "You're mine, you got that? No matter what happens in the future, you are my daughter and you don't go thinking anything other than that. I know we've got a weird situation, that I've raised you to remember that you had a family before me, but I didn't want to keep that from you. But, I am your mom in every sense of the word and you're my daughter. Nothing will change that. Absolutely nothing."

It wasn't long before Katherine and Kline, ages nine and seven respectively, came barreling through the front door and Jacey's attention was diverted elsewhere. Within minutes, they had their toys scattered across the living room floor and Sam was all but forgotten. Getting to her feet, she called out to Mason, who was heading in to the kitchen, "Mason? You mind escorting me back to town or are you needed elsewhere?"

"No problem, Aunt Sam." Mason stopped his mission of locating one of his grandmother's secret stash of sweets and turned back to go in to the living room. Looking every bit like his father, towering over Sam at well over six foot tall and already over two hundred pounds, the twenty three year old and eldest of the Collins grandchildren, had inherited his father's natural talent with firearms, but had thankfully gotten his mother's levelheadedness and lack of temper. "Heard about last night. Bummer."

"Bummer, indeed." Sam chuckled and leaned over to wrangle Jacey in for a goodnight hug and kiss; her heart swelling when Jacey said she loved her. "I love you, more. Be good tonight and I'll see you at the picnic tomorrow." As she was straightening up, her mother came in to the room and had to make a fuss over her hands once more. "Mom, I'm going to see how they are in the morning and if they hurt I'm going to ask Clay to help out, ok? Stop worrying."

"It's a mother’s job and it's never ending." Donna smiled at her daughter, the only child she didn't have to bend her head back to look at. "Get some rest, baby girl, and go on and get out of here. I've got some grandkids to spoil."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the reviews!!!


	53. Chapter 53

I decided to post an extra chapter this week to finish up this segment in the Present, that way when I post again on Sunday I can start with the next part of the Past and hopefully, not have any confusion. I know this story jumps around a lot, so I am going to try my best to alter Past and Present each week and add a forward to remind you guys what happened in the previous segments. Cross fingers that that helps alleviate some of the confusion. :)

Hope you like this chapter.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The present: Still Friday night, March 10, 2012**  
_

 

Following Mason out the door, who hadn't escaped being fussed over by his grandmother before leaving, Sam headed down the walkway and was surprised to find one of the horses tied up at the end. "Did you ride over here with both of them up there with you?"

"Nah, they rode. I walked." Mason shrugged as he untied the horse from the tree. Squatting down, he held out his hands that were locked together so Sam could use them as a step. "Easier than trying to keep them in line the whole way over here." Once Sam was up on the horse, sitting just behind the saddle, he gracefully crawled up with her and started towards town at a slow gallop.

Significantly faster than walking, Mason eased the horse to a stop in front of Sam's place in only a handful of minutes. Sam slid off the horse and jumped to the ground as gracefully as she could and turned back to look up at Mason. "Thanks for the lift. You be careful out there tonight."

"Look at you with the horse escort tonight." Cassie snarked from the shadows, where she was perched on a window ledge smoking a cigarette and waiting for Sam to get home. "That Mason sure is a cutie."

"Lay off my nephew." Sam laughed and took a seat next to Cassie, and was suddenly reminded of something she'd remembered earlier in the day. "Speaking of you with my male family members, exactly what were you doing with Tyler at that hour of the morning?"

"Well shit. I had hoped you wouldn't put that together." Cassie sighed and took a long drag off her cigarette before responding. "We've been...uh, not exactly seeing each other, but well, you know."

"And exactly how long have you been _'you knowing'_ with my brother?" Sam eyeballed Cassie, trying to get a read on her expression but it was impossible to do so with only a sliver of moonlight hanging above them. "I'm not mad that you're doing the horizontal mambo with Tyler, Cass. I just wish you hadn't kept it from me. I thought we told each other everything."

"I know, I know. And, I wanted to! I really did. But, Ty, he said it would just upset you so I didn't. I mean, it's not serious or anything, it's just sex. Not like Tyler would ever openly date me, not with your parents around to judge him for it." Cassie tossed her cigarette to the ground and crushed it beneath her boot. "It's only been a few months. Well, this time. It's been an on again off again thing for a while."

"First off, my brother is an idiot. He couldn't do better than you if he designed a woman on his computer." Sam wanted to punch her brother for making Cassie feel like she was beneath him. She wasn't an idiot, she knew Cassie had been in love with Tyler since she was just a pre-teen, all the way back to when she used to follow him around the house and pester him when she would visit Sam. "Secondly, how long are we talking? Pre or post turn?"

"Pre. Like '03?" Cassie grimaced and admitted just how long she'd been involved with Tyler, even though every single hook up was just that...a hook up. She felt stupid for letting him treat her as though she was nothing but a booty call, but she couldn't help how she felt about him; even if he was the biggest asshole she'd ever met. "You were in Nashville all the time and well, I was lonely. I ran in to him at Tiny's one night and went home with him. After that, he'd call," Cassie ducked her head in shame, "and I'd go over."

"You deserve better than him, you know? Sure, he's my brother, but he's an asshat." Sam used one of Cassie's favorite words to describe Tyler and succeeded in getting at least a small smile out of her. Glancing up, she saw Maggie walking down the road with Glenn and another girl, Tara maybe? "Look, come inside and hang out. I invited Maggie over to pick out some songs for tomorrow, it being their party and all, but we can hang. Do the girl thing?"

"Yeah, okay." Cassie sniffled and cursed herself, and Tyler, for making her feel the way she did. Why did she have to be in love with the asshat anyway? "I kind of like her. Maggie? I worked with her in the kitchen a couple of times. She's nice and that husband of hers might just be the most adorable thing I've ever seen."

"I agree." Sam admitted with a smile as she got to her feet. "Alright, let's get to work. Sorry Glenn, I think this is going to be a girl's night."

"That's okay. I'm going to help out with patrol for a while anyway, with Daryl and Rick." Glenn pressed a kiss to Maggie's temple and said, "Have fun. We'll come by later and check on things."

"Be careful out there." Maggie watched as Glenn turned to trot down the road to where Daryl and Rick were waiting, something that Sam had actually not noticed. "I hope you don't mind Tara coming?"

"Not at all." Sam pulled her keys out of her pocket and unlocked the rarely used front entrance and ushered everyone inside. Downstairs, in what was previously her family's store, was now cleaned out of the hunting and sports equipment that used to live there and instead held a couple of old couches and chairs. Sometimes Jacey and the younger kids would have sleepovers down there because there was more room to run around, but mostly it stayed empty. "My apartment is a little small, so if ya'll don't mind we can hang out down here."

"You go on up and grab whatever you need. I'll light the lanterns." Cassie stepped around the old checkout counter and pulled out a couple of lanterns. Lighting them, the room was quickly washed in a soft golden hue as she sat them on tables throughout the space. "I don't think we've been formally introduced. I'm Cassie." Reaching out, she shook Tara's hand and motioned for them to have a seat.

"Nice to meet you." Tara replied quietly as she took a seat next to Maggie, on a couch covered in the most hideous flower pattern she'd ever seen. Her eyes followed Sam as she jogged up the stairs and thought about her first girlfriend who had been named Sam, and while the relationship had ended on a not so happy note when she'd announced that she actually wasn't in to girls, Tara never could get her out of her mind. Of course, this Sam was a lot better looking than the other one and, at least on the surface, seemed to be a lot nicer. Glancing up at the staircase Sam had just went up, she asked, "You sure she's okay with me being here, too? I mean, she didn't invite me."

"Trust me, Sam doesn't mind." Cassie plopped down on an overstuffed maroon couch opposite of the others and stripped off her jacket, suddenly too hot to have it on with a long sleeve shirt. "Having you here, too, probably makes her happier because she wants to make sure she gets the music right for tomorrow."

Sam closed the door behind her and clamored back down the stairs with a notebook and pen in hand. She wanted to bring her guitar, but felt that giving her hands extra time to heal was probably a good idea. Plus, if she needed to she could always sing without music. "Okay, here we go." Flopping down next to Cassie, she flipped the notebook to a fresh page and asked, "Anything off the top of your head you definitely want?"

"Always straight to business." Cassie shook her head and started digging through her coat pockets until she found her lighter and baggie full of the latest batch of the Mitchell brother’s crop. "First, we have fun."

"Cassie!" Sam hissed, totally unprepared for her best friend to pull out her baggie of pot, which she really shouldn't have been shocked by, but they didn't know Maggie and Tara's stance on the subject matter. Tilting her head towards the other two women, she glared at Cassie until she got the hint. "Well, you ladies up for it? If not, that's cool." Cassie asked openly, not giving a damn about what anyone thought of her.

"Are you sure?" Maggie asked curiously, she hadn't smoked pot since college, which seemed like so long ago now, but was only a couple of years ago. Glancing at Tara, who lifted a shoulder to shrug, she continued, "I mean, its okay?"

"What are they gonna do? Arrest us?" Cassie chuckled at her obvious attempt at a joke and started rolling a joint. Lighting the end, she sucked in deeply and held the smoke in her lungs while handing it off to Maggie.

"I haven't done this since college." Maggie giggled and took a hit before passing it to Tara. That was the rule, puff-puff give. Instantly, her body got a little fuzzy and a slow smile spread across her face. Whatever she'd smoked in college had nothing on what Cassie had just given her.

"The boys that grow it are talented, that's for sure. I like to think I had a hand in that, I did babysit them for years." Cassie announced proudly as the joint made its way back around to her. With the four of them smoking, it didn't last long and had its usual effect on Sam, who was the most highly functioning stoner Cassie had ever met. "Back to business."

"Okay, we'll be playing for a couple of hours, so don't be stingy with the requests." Sam told Maggie and Tara while holding the notebook, ready to take down their suggestions. When she was met with nothing but stares and giggles, she hit Cassie with her notebook. "You broke them, are you happy now?"

"It'll wear off soon enough. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the night." Cassie slid down on the couch until she could rest her head on the back and put her feet on the table in between them.

"I don't relax. You know that." Sam turned back to her notebook while the other three enjoyed themselves and started sketching out a plan for the picnic. Suddenly, the hairs on her neck stood at attention and that prickling sensation that she was being watched slithered over her. She figured the weed was just making her paranoid, but turned her head towards the open door anyway and wasn't really all that surprised to find Daryl staring back at her. Their gazes connected and her body tingled as he gave her that half-cocked smile. She wondered if she should go to him, see if he needed something, but as suddenly as he had appeared he turned and walked away.

"Was that Daryl?" Maggie asked, peeking around Sam. When she found the doorway empty, she wondered if it had been a figment of her imagination and asked, "Wasn't he just there or did I imagine it?"

"Nope. He was there and now he's gone." Cassie muttered as she laid her head back down on the back of the couch. "He has this habit of stalking Sam. No worries. He doesn't bite...or I don't think he does. Sam? Does he bite?"

"He used to. On occasion." Sam admitted with a deep blush that spread like a wildfire across her cheeks. "And hush, there will be no talk of Daryl tonight. Okay? No more talk of men period. Girls night rule."

"I can see him as a biter." Maggie murmured, letting the words slip out before she realized what she'd done. Seeing Tara gape at her out of the corner of her eye, Maggie shrugged and said, "What? I'm just saying that Daryl is kind of feral, you know? Like an animal. I can see him being a biter."

"Oh, he's feral, all right? Like a wild animal. Lethal." Tara interjected, glancing out the door once more to make sure Daryl wasn't lurking there listening to them talk about him. "I'm just glad I'm on his good side. I've heard stories and they're pretty convincing as to not piss him off."

"Really? Daryl?" Cassie tried to wrap her head around finding Daryl Dixon lethal and dangerous, or at least the version of him she knew, and couldn't. Of course, it had been a long time since they'd been friends and a shit ton of seriousness had happened since then. "I guess I could see it? I mean, there was that one time over at Tiny's where I thought he was going to rip some guys head off for flirting with Sam. But, lethal? Hard to imagine. I mean, he was basically a lovesick puppy with this one." She hooked a thumb at Sam after the comment and earned herself an annoyed look. "What? It's true."

"Can we please not talk about Daryl? Seriously. It's been the ongoing topic of discussion in every room I've been in for the past week. My brain needs a break." Sam looked back down at the notepad in her hand and realized she'd doodled his name and a series of hearts in the top corner. Flipping the page, she started a fresh list on a Daryl-free piece of paper and redid the notes about the picnic that she'd started before he'd shown up and the topic of the night had gone completely off course.

"So, with the Daryl stuff," Maggie started and got a glare from Sam that had her quickly explaining why she mentioned his name, "Is it just limited about talking about him? I mean, most of your songs are about him, or seem like it, so what I'm wondering is are songs that are clearly about him off limits, too?" Feeling like a babbling idiot, she let out a deep breath and wondered if she was nervous because of being around Sam or if it was a side effect of marijuana that she'd forgotten about.

"Singing about him, I can do. Talking about him, not so much." Sam replied, knowing that if she said songs about Daryl were off limits would make it to where she'd have to write a whole slew of new songs. "So which ones are you wanting?"

_"When You Got a Good Thing."_ Maggie said without missing a beat. Seeing Cassie's expression, she asked, "What? You don't like that one? It's great!"

"I can't place it actually." Cassie admitted, "But, I've been following Sam around listening to her sing for like twenty years now, so I can't really keep track of all the songs. Which one is that?"

"Man, haven't played that one in ages. It was on the first album. I wrote it way back when Daryl and I first got married. Surely you remember it?" Sam scribbled down the request and the memory of when she wrote it crept in, causing her to smile fondly. Peeking up, she found Cassie shaking her head, so she belted out a few lines to see if it jogged her memory. _"Oh I can't believe I finally found you baby. Happy ever after…after all this time?"_ Frowning at Cassie's blank stare, she asked, "Nothing ringing a bell there? Okay, how about this?" Picking up where she left off, she finished off the verse and added in the chorus. _"Oh there's gonna be some ups and down, but with you to wrap my arms around I'm fine...So baby hold on tight...don't let go...hold on to the love we're making... 'cause baby when the ground stops shaking... you gotta know...when you got a good thing."_

"Yeah, I remember, duh. I just wanted you to sing the sexy song." Cassie laughed as Sam smacked her with the notebook once more. "What? Come on...all your songs are so sweet an innocent. I like that you wrote at least one about some ground shaking and love making."

"Shows you how much you know. I've written more than one." Sam smirked and laughed at Cassie's bug eyed expression. "Not that the other one made it any further than my notebook and well, Daryl's ears. My daddy would have killed me!"

"Come on, sing it!" Cassie begged, waving her hand at Maggie to get her to chime in and get Sam to sing it for them. Shaking her head, valiantly sticking to her guns, Sam said, "Nope. Not gonna happen. Plus, sounds better with the piano and it's all the way at the other end of the street. And, we are not going there."

"Not fair." Cassie leaned back against the couch and exaggerated her normal pouting face. "I'm sure your guests, especially your big fan, would love to hear it. ’Course, it's probably all lovey dovey anyway."

"I like lovey dovey. Well, sometimes." Maggie interjected, truly curious to hear the song that Sam was adamant about not singing. "Just a little bit?"

"If I give in...Emphasis on the ‘If’...but, if I give in will ya'll promise to not even mention his name the rest of the night?" Sam sighed when all three of them shook their heads and said, "And you can't mention to my Daddy that I sang like this. I don't think he even heard the other song, or if he did, he didn't catch the innuendo. And yes, Cassie, it's lovey dovey. Geez, I'm not Salt or Peppa, so there will be no hip hop song about doing it." Grimacing at Cassie, Sam closed her eyes and sang the first verse in her head, deciding on singing just the chorus to shut them all up. _"Let's make love...all night long...until all our strength is gone... hold on tight... just let go...I wanna feel you in my soul...until the sun comes up...let's make love."_

"You're right, that is a sappy love song." Cassie said when Sam finished up. "But it's beautiful. How come I never even got to hear it? I thought I'd heard all your songs."

"Ninety nine percent, I promise, but there's one or two that never got finished or I just kept to myself that didn't make it further than my notebook." Sam shrugged her shoulder and doodled a heart in the corner of the paper, resisting all urge to add any one's name or initials to it.

"So, I'm guessing that one is off the table for tomorrow?" Maggie asked bravely, as she had immediately thought of the first time she realized she was in love with Glenn, the feelings she had suddenly developed after she'd propositioned him the pharmacy blooming almost overnight in to something a lot stronger than her claims that he was the only one available there in her age range. Seeing the look on Sam's face at her request had her frowning, but she understood, "That's okay, I'm sure we can find some other songs."

"I'll think about it, but I can't make any promises. I am serious when I say my Daddy would likely still bend me over his knee and I'm gonna be thirty two this summer." Pausing, Sam chewed on her bottom lip a moment then asked, "What about new stuff? Of course, you haven't heard it since the record was never released, but we could play some of it if you want."

"So you didn't totally quit? Beth kept saying ya'll just needed time to think, that it was part of the creative process, and that you'd put out a new album eventually, but after what? Like five years? I honestly thought she was holding on to a pipe dream." Feeling a little less out of it, but still very much buzzed and relaxed, Maggie pulled her legs up on to the couch to sit cross-legged.

"Yeah, the guys came down and stayed a few months while we worked on new material. I've got a recording studio in the basement over at my house, so it was easier for them to come to me since I had Jacey. We got a bunch of my words put to music, gotten about half of them recorded, when the outbreak happened." Sam scribbled down a few song titles she thought might work, more upbeat tunes for dancing. "Course, if all you want is slow songs to dance with Glenn, the new stuff won't work. It's more upbeat and well, not really love songs...more like break up songs."

"That's fine. I want to hear whatever you've got." Maggie glanced over at Tara and asked, "Anything you want to hear?"

"I don't know any of their music." Glancing at Sam sheepishly, she explained, "I didn't listen to country music. I'm sorry."

"That's okay. Country isn't every one's cup of tea. But, I do know a lot of different styles of music. I played parties and weddings for years before moving to Nashville." Sam held out her notebook to Tara. "Here. Write down some things you like and I'll see if we can play them for you."

Eventually, Sam managed to get a list of songs from both Maggie and Tara and felt marginally better about playing the next day. She always felt better when she got a feel on what type of songs the people wanted and with this group, knowing Daryl and Maggie, she could at least tailor the performance to fit their style. Tossing the notebook on to the table, she leaned back against the couch and wasn't the least bit surprised when Cassie lit up another joint. "You've got to be kidding me? Another?"

"Yeah, I'm seeing if I can actually get you to relax this time." Cassie said around a lungful of smoke as she handed it over to Sam. After exhaling, she said, "Maybe I can get you to sleep tonight."

"You've been talking to Lindy too much." Sam growled, but took the offering. This time she added an extra puff, because no matter how much she complained about her family harping on her for not sleeping, she did actually want to get a good night's sleep. While she had gotten a fair amount of sleep that morning, it was due to the medication and she hadn't woke up feeling exactly refreshed.

"I could get used to girl's night." Maggie announced as she leaned back against the couch and closed her eyes. "I haven't felt this relaxed in ages. Granted, relaxing usually means getting dead these days, but still...it's nice."

"Yeah, even in places when you feel safe, you still can't relax." Tara pointed out, remember all the places she'd lived before ending up with Glenn and eventually, his group. She tried not to let on how ending up with Brian, or the Governor as the others knew him, and the terror they'd end up inflicting on the people she now called family still affected her; nightmares still plagued her sleep and woke her up nightly. "And you don't know who you can trust. It's hard...a lot harder than I thought it would be when we finally left my family's place."

"Well, you've got new family now and the past is just that...the past." Maggie reached out and took hold of Tara's hand and squeezed it tightly. Tara had been there when her father had been murdered, but it had not been her hands that were on the sword that took her father's head off. Maggie saw her grief, knew she felt remorse for what happened and had forgiven her for her part in the attack. Tara had blindly put her trust in what had turned out to be the wrong man, it could have happened to anyone. "And, we've got a new place to call home. A fresh start for all of us."

"We're all family here. One big, sometimes dysfunctional family, but family nonetheless." Cassie chipped in as she finished off the joint. "Speaking of family, Maggie...just how did you catch Glenn in this nonsense? He is just the most adorable thing I've ever seen."

"He was there?" Maggie admitted with a laugh, remembering the look on his face when she'd suggested they have sex in the pharmacy on that first scavenging trip. "Seriously, Rick's group ended up on our farm and Glenn was with them. He was young and not bad to look at, so I thought why not? Wasn't even sure I liked him much, but...well, he is pretty adorable, isn't he?"

"What about you Tara? You dating anyone in the group?" Cassie, ever the nosy busy body of gossip, asked and didn't miss the flicker of Tara's eyes towards Maggie before she shook her head to say she wasn't involved with anyone. Not wanting to cause her any undue embarrassment, Cassie moved on by saying, "So, let's see, four attractive women and only one of us is actually involved with anyone. Those are depressing odds. We've got Sam who technically could have two, but has none. I've got one who barely acknowledges me in public and Tara batting zero, too. We really need some more people in this town."

"Hey, don't go dragging me in to this. I have none for a reason, remember? I called things off with Ryan and there is nothing going on with D...the other one." Sam stuck to her rule of not mentioning Daryl by name, but of course everyone knew who she was referring to. "And, Tara's only been here a few days. With those eyes and curves? I doubt it will be long before someone shows interest. And, why do we really care? Seriously? I am perfectly happy not shaving my legs or worrying about makeup and hair."

"The men have it so easy now. No Shave November has been extended by eleven months and we still find them attractive. It's not fair. Not that mine has much facial hair. Poor thing's been growing his beard for months and it's just a little patch. Nothing compared to Rick's impressive one." Maggie pointed to her leg and said, "I, on the other hand, had to dry shave. That shit hurts."

"Mine prefers me totally shaven." Cassie grimaced when she caught sight of the abject horror on Sam's face at the thought of what her brother did and did not like in bed. "Sorry, but it's true and it's freaking painful. But, there I am, heating up water and using dull ass razors to make him happy." Realizing what Sam had said about not shaving, Cassie turned to her and asked, "You're telling me Mr. Clean Cut and Handsome liked you au natural?"

"Well, no, but...we uh, haven't done anything in a long time." Sam admitted with yet another profuse blush. "I ran out of birth control I'd had stocked up and didn't want to risk getting pregnant."

"Uh, there's condoms." Maggie pointed out, a little slack jawed with amazement. She'd seen Sam's boyfriend and, had she not already been head over heels in love with Glenn, would have been all over that man. Tall, dark, and sexy were definitely her cup of tea prior to medium height, slender, and Asian apparently.

"Those don't always work. Trust me." Sam shook her head and replied with a grimace. "Apparently only like ninety seven percent of the time actually. Not worth the risk. We did... _stuff_...just not it."

"You'll have to forgive my girl, she has a hard time saying sex." Cassie poked Sam in the ribs and shouted, "Sex! Sex! Sex! Hot monkey love! Doing the nasty! Yeah, all that embarrasses the shit out of her." Cassie hooted with laughter and snorted loudly as Sam blushed profusely and hid her face behind a throw pillow, which prompted the other girls to join in on the laughter that was still going strong when the men wandered inside the store.

"What's that smell?" Glenn asked, stepping through the threshold sniffing the air. It took him about half a second to place it, just as Rick said, "That's something I haven't smelled in a long time and I used to follow it up with an arrest."

"Like I said, what are they gonna do? Arrest us?" Cassie howled with laughter and pointed towards Rick, whom she had already learned was a deputy before the outbreak. "But, Deputy Cutie, if you wanna frisk me I am A-ok with that."

Sam closed her eyes and tried to not bust out laughing at the sight of Rick blushing from head to toe at Cassie's suggestion. He was clearly not accustomed to dealing with someone of Cassie's caliber, or at least was out of practice. Eyes still closed, she did her best to ignore Daryl, who was lurking near the doorway staring at her, and yet…her whole body felt alive under the weight of his stare.


	54. Chapter 54

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the reviews on the previous chapters! Loved each and every one of them.

  
[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

__  
**Previously in the Past:**

Sam was confronted by her parents and brother about lying and sneaking around with Daryl.

**The Past: Sunday night, July 11th, 1999**

 

Daryl sat on the couch, Sam’s head rested in his lap, fast asleep and snoring lightly. She’d cried in his arms, sobbed against his chest for so long that her tears soaked the pale gray material of his shirt, and finally gave him the details of the discussion with her family. After she had poured her heart out between the sniffles, Sam had laid her head down and within a matter of minutes was out cold, utterly exhausted after such a grueling day. Now, he was running his hand lightly across her golden hair that spilled across his lap and simply staring down at her while she fitfully dozed.

A glance at the clock on the kitchen stove showed him that it was nearly ten o’clock, which meant Sam had been there for a couple hours already and clearly wasn’t in any hurry to get home. As much as he hated the thought of what he was about to do, Daryl knew that it had to be done. If the argument with her family had been as bad as Sam had described, and he found it highly unlikely that she exaggerated what had happened, he felt that there was a good chance that her parents were waiting up for their daughter and worrying about her welfare. Unlike his parents, who’d rarely kept track of his and Merle’s whereabouts for days at a time, Sam’s parents loved their daughter dearly and would definitely be worrying about her; no matter how bad the fight had been that evening.

Easing out from beneath Sam, Daryl gently placed her head on the couch and went in to the kitchen to grab the old phone book that had been left in the house when he’d moved in. With the tattered phonebook that was missing its front cover and the cordless phone in his hands, Daryl quietly slipped out the side door and took a seat on the steps. Using the carport light just over his shoulder, he flipped through the book until he located the number for Sam’s parent’s phone line instead of her private one. He momentarily considered a cigarette to ease his nerves, but decided against it, wanting to get the call out of the way and do so as fast as possible. Punching in the seven digit number, Daryl lifted the phone to his ear and held his breath as he listed to the phone ring on the other end. With each ring his nervousness mounted and he silently wished he’d taken the time to have that cigarette before placing the call.

“Hello?” A woman answered the phone and for a moment, Daryl froze when he realized he didn’t know who was on the other end since Sam had said that the majority of her family had been at the house when she left. Was he talking to her mother or one of her many sisters in law?

“Um, can I talk to Mrs. Collins? Sam's mom?” Daryl asked after a brief pause, deciding to go with hopefully speaking to Sam’s mother instead of her father. When the woman on the phone stated that she was, in fact, Donna Collins, he said, “This is Daryl, ma’am. Daryl Dixon. I, um, wanted to let you know that Sam’s here…at my place. I didn’t, uh, want you to worry. She was, um…upset earlier and fell asleep.”

On the other end of the phone, half a town away, Donna Collins stared at the base of the phone hanging on the wall with honest to goodness shock plastered across her face. While she had been sitting next to the phone hoping that Sam would call and let her know she was okay, she had never even considered that Daryl might be the one to call instead. Quickly gathering her thoughts and pushing aside the surprise as best she could, she turned and looked at her husband, catching his eye, before saying, “Well, Daryl, I appreciate you calling and letting us know that’s Sam is okay. Her father and I have been worried. Before you go, could I get your phone number? Just in case I need Sam for some reason. I assume she won’t be returning tonight since you’re calling.”

There was a reason his number wasn’t listed, mostly because he didn’t want any of his brother’s shithead friends or enemies that had gotten the shaft from Merle to be able to contact him, but to deny his girlfriend’s mother the information to be able to contact her daughter would not help him get in her good graces. And, after hearing Sam’s woeful tale of what transpired with her parents that evening, he needed all the help he could get. Rattling off the number, he finished up with, “I’ll get her to call when she wakes up.”

“Thank you again. And, if you don’t mind, just let her know we were worried?” Donna nervously fidgeted with the phone cord and broke eye contact with her husband, who was pacing the length of the kitchen on the verge of exploding with the rage he’d only just gotten under control prior to the phone call. Once she heard the faint click of Daryl disconnecting the call, Donna returned the receiver to the base and said, “Jim, you need to calm down. This stress, the anger, it can’t be good for your heart. Sam’s fine, she fell asleep and he just wanted to let us know so we didn’t worry.”

“The hell I will!” Jim didn’t calm down, but did stop trying to wear a hole in the kitchen floor. Slapping both his hands down on the tiled counter, his face was blood red as he glared at his wife. “I can’t believe that son of a bitch had the audacity to call here! He’s not going to see Sam again, not if I have a say so in the matter.”

Donna blinked and stared at her husband, took in the inflamed color of his skin and the bulging vein in his forehead and mentally willed him to calm down. After a mild heart attack five years ago, the last thing he needed was to let himself get this worked up over something that would eventually not be a problem once Sam returned to school. She highly doubted that once her daughter got back to campus, a good three hours away from Collins, that she would keep up a long distance relationship, as she was usually pretty busy due to the full load of classes she took each semester. Calmly, she walked over to stand next to her husband and placed a hand on his back, rubbing it soothingly in circles, and said, “The harder we push to keep them apart, the harder they’re going to push to stay together. Sam’s going back to school in a month, honey. Once she gets back there, with her classes and friends, she’s going to forget all about this Daryl guy. We just need to be patient, set some ground rules and wait it out.”

With a derisive snort and another smack of his hands on the tiled counter, Jim shook his head at his wife in disbelief. The logic she was spouting, the solution to their problem, was to wait it out? “Sounds like a load of bull to me, Donna.”

“Just give it a chance, if it looks like it’s not working, then we’ll try it your way.” Donna watched helplessly as her husband stormed out of the room, no doubt towards his study and the half-filled bottle of bourbon in his bottom left hand desk drawer he thought she didn’t know about. Walking around to the other side of the kitchen, she opened the drawer by the phone and took out a roll of tape, pulled off a tab and used it to fix the scrap of paper with Daryl’s number on it to the wall. Saying a silent prayer that things would start to look up, she flipped off the overhead light and headed upstairs to go to bed; calmer now that she knew where her baby girl was and that she was safe.

Across town, Daryl squashed the cigarette out under the heel of his boot before gathering up the phone and phonebook and heading back inside the house. He eased the door shut with a barely audible click, locked the deadbolt and turned off the carport light. Glancing over at the couch, he was pleased to find Sam still laying there fast asleep. Laying the items in his hand on the counter, he kicked off his boots, left them in the middle of the kitchen floor and headed over to pick Sam up and take her to bed. As gently as possible, he slipped his hands beneath her like he’d done earlier in the weekend and picked her up, tucking her tightly to his chest. He angled her body to get through the archway to the hall and used his elbow to flip off the kitchen light before heading to the bedroom.

The fact that Sam didn’t wake up during the trip to the bedroom, barely stirring when Daryl laid her down on the bed, was proof positive at just how mentally and physically exhausted she was. Not wanting to take a chance at waking her up, Daryl crawled on to the bed beside her without bothering to undress either of them; Sam having already shed her sandals earlier in the evening. Pulling the lightweight blanket over the top of them, he reached back and clicked off the lamp before wrapping his arms around Sam and holding her tight. Lost in thought, worried about the outcome from her family finding out the truth about him and that Sam had been lying to them for weeks, it was a long time before he drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, they were woken up by the shrill sound of his alarm clock blaring away on the dresser across the room; where he had to keep it to ensure he had to get up and turn it off, instead of just slapping the snooze button repeatedly. Daryl slid his arm out from beneath Sam’s head, got off the bed and stumbled sleepily over to the annoyance and turned it off. Scratching his head, he turned around to find Sam sitting up in the middle of the bed, looking at him with worry in her eyes.

“Oh my god, my parents are going to kill me! I can’t believe you didn’t wake me up!” Sam flung the cover off and started to scramble off the bed.

“It’s okay. I called them.” Daryl reached out to Sam, placing a hand on her shoulder to keep her from running out. Hoping his words would calm her down a bit, ease the level of panic he could see mounting in her expression and hurried movements, he was a little surprised to find out that he only managed to cause the opposite effect. When she stared at him with wide eyes and her mouth gaping open, he mumbled, “What?”

“You called my parents? My parents? Jim and Donna?” Sam repeated the question once more, turning it over and over in her brain to make sure she was comprehending just what Daryl was saying. Perched on her knees in the middle of the disheveled bedding, she scrubbed her hands over her face to wake up a little more and asked, “What did they say?”

“Your mom said thanks. Told her I’d make sure you called when you woke up.” He stood at the end of the bed and stared at Sam, trying to figure out if she was going to freak out over him calling her parents or take a deep breath and calm the fuck down. “She seemed fine. Worried, but fine. Don’t think it was a problem…me calling.”

“My mom? Calm?” Sam sank down to sit on the bed instead of kneeling and laughed; a cynical, disbelieving laugh. “Donna Jo Collins doesn’t do calm, Daryl. Calculating and well mannered, but calm? Not so much.” Flopping backwards on to the bed, she stared up at the ceiling and focused on the flecks of glittered scattered throughout the speckled popcorn like texture. “I’m doomed.”

“If you say so.” Daryl grumbled as he walked around the side of the bed and leaned over to kiss Sam’s forehead. “Really seemed fine to me. Maybe things ain’t as bad as you imagined them?” The minute the words left his mouth, he realized his mistake and stood up quickly. No woman liked to hear that they were overreacting or being hysterical, and while he hadn’t said those words exactly, Daryl was fairly certain that point had come across judging by the look on Sam’s face. “Didn’t mean it that way. I just meant that maybe things ain’t as bad as you thought once they calmed down.”

“You think I’m being crazy, don’t you?” Sam frowned at Daryl, her forehead crinkling in the most adorable way that he wisely decided not to point out at that exact moment. “You don’t know them! They were mean and hurtful, and dead set against us seeing each other. So, pardon the heck out of me when I say that you don’t know what you’re talking about.” Scrambling off the bed, Sam was determined to storm out of Daryl’s bedroom with the same head of steam she’d stormed out of her parent’s house, but was stopped mid-escape when his arms circled her waist and pulled her tightly back against him.

“Said I didn’t mean it that way. Ain’t no reason to go off with your panties in a knot.” Daryl growled against Sam’s neck, his breath warm and moist against her skin. “Don’t want you storming off all mad at me just ‘cause you’re pissed at your parents. Ain’t no reason to take it out on me…was just trying to do the right thing by calling your mom.”

Sam’s anger deflated in the comforting hold of arms, his breath was warm against her skin and tickled the fine hairs on her neck, his scent washed over her and together, all those sensations pushed away her anxiety. Leaning in to him, Sam raised her hands and placed them over his. “I’m sorry. You’re right, I’m freaking out and taking it out on you.”

“Ain’t no big deal.” Daryl kissed her cheek and sensibly decided against cracking a joke about how big of a deal it actually was to hear a woman say that a man was right. Smiling against her skin, he held her for another moment before regrettably having to let her go. “Go on and call your mom if you’re gonna hang out around here today. I gotta get to work.”

“As much as I would love to hide out here, I should probably go on home and face the music.” Sam grimaced as she used the ponytail holder on her wrist to pull back her bedraggled mane of hair. “Thanks for letting me cry on you.”

“It’s what I’m here for, ain’t it?” Daryl shrugged and turned around to face the dresser once more and started opening drawers to gather clothes for work. Once he had what he needed, he turned back to Sam and said, “Don’t mean I liked it…seeing you cry.”

“How about I try not to do it again?” Sam smiled and wrapped her arms around him. Easing up on her toes, she brushed a kiss across his lips and hated that they couldn’t spend the day together. “Can’t make any promises though. I’m sort of a crier.”

“Maybe we just try to make sure them tears ain’t ‘cause of me.” Daryl kissed her forehead and brushed aside a lock of hair that hadn’t made it back in to the ponytail. “Call me later. Let me know how it goes?”

“I will. Probably won’t be able to see you for a couple of days.” Sam poked out her bottom lip and pouted like a child who’d just been told they couldn’t have a second helping of dessert. “Let them calm down some, you know? Plus, I’ve got library duty this afternoon and Mom mentioned something about going over to Macon tomorrow, if that’s even still in her plans after yesterday. But, maybe we could actually go out to eat one day? Like in town, all official and stuff?”

“It’s a date. Just let me know when.” Daryl took hold of Sam’s hand and walked with her to the living room, where she shoved her feet in to the sandals she’d left by the couch. Once she had on shoes, he unlocked the door and proceeded to walk her to the car; all gentleman like. Leaning down in to the car, he kissed her once more, a soft brush of the lips to say goodbye. “Love you.”

“Love you, too.” Sam smiled up at Daryl as he shut the door and ached to jump out of the car, run back inside his house and beg him to take the day off to spend it with her. But, the mature and levelheaded Sam that was amazingly still inside of her knew that she’d have to face the proverbial music with her parents at some point and that she might as well go ahead and get it over with. Waving goodbye to Daryl, she put the car in reverse and mentally put her big girl panties on as she made her way to the other side of town to her parent’s house.


	55. Chapter 55

  
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_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

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**The Past: Monday, July 12th, 1999**  


Unfortunately, the cease fire Sam’s parents had agreed to in regards to her relationship with Daryl had not reached the ears of her brothers. Therefore, thinking they were doing what was best for their family and the reputation of their beloved little sister, all four Collins brothers ended up in the parking lot of Swain’s Auto Body that afternoon…just in time for Daryl to get off work.

He didn’t see them at first. All four of them were at the east end of the parking lot, Bo’s patrol car and David’s sensible sedan the only vehicles they’d brought, and standing along the edge of the building waiting for him to step outside. His boss had already gone home for the day, letting Daryl lock up after he had finished up replacing the new copper oil lines on the car he was working on instead of staying around until the job was complete. One of the figures at the edge of the lot stirred, only a slight flicker of movement out of the corner of his eyes, was the only warning he had before Tyler’s meaty fist smashed across his cheekbone.

“Tyler! Damn it!” Bo wrapped his hands around Tyler’s bulging biceps and pulled him back from Daryl, who had stumbled a few steps away from them with his hand on his cheekbone and a look of rage in his eyes. “Calm the fuck down, I told you we were just coming to talk to him.”

“Let me go!” Tyler squirmed and fought against Bo’s hold, but while the eldest Collins brother was twelve years older than him and didn’t have nearly the amount of muscle Tyler had, he lacked the skills that Bo had learned on the job for the past nineteen years. “That piece of shit’s fucking our baby sister! Let me the fuck go!”

“Not until you calm down.” Bo tugged Tyler backwards until he was almost against the patrol car. “Settle the hell down, Ty. Don’t make me shove your ass in my car.” His not so little, little brother bucked in his arms a few more times, growled at the thought of being shoved in the back of a patrol car like a criminal, but finally settled down enough that Bo released his hold on him. Pointing a finger at the other two brothers, the ones that were normally more levelheaded and calm but had been bullied by the others in to joining the ambush, and ordered them to keep an eye on Tyler. Turning back to Daryl, who was now standing up and facing them with a squared off stance that announced to the world that he was ready for whatever they wanted to throw at him, Bo crossed the parking lot in a handful of long strides until he was towering over his sister’s boyfriend. “Sorry about that, we really are here to just talk.”

“Yeah, right.” Daryl scoffed at Sam’s oldest brother, the authority of the shining gold badge on his dark blue uniform meaning absolutely nothing to him. After taking a step or two back to put space between him and Bo, Daryl crossed his arms and asked, “Take it you wanna talk about Sam? Get on with it then.”

“Look, son, you don’t have any business running around with Sam. She’s too young for you and has too much ahead of her to waste her time with you.” Bo rested one arm on the top of his radio on his hip, while the other was not so subtlety placed on the handle of his duty pistol. Not that he’d out right shoot Daryl, but the gesture was meant to threaten him.

“And if I don’t exactly agree with you? What then?” Daryl leaned over and spit out the mouthful of blood that had accumulated since Tyler punched him, letting it splatter on the pavement just in front of Bo’s boots. Then, loudly enough for the other brother’s to hear, asked, “Gonna let Tyler loose? Let us go a few rounds?”

“I’d kick your weak ass, you son of a bitch!” Tyler bellowed from where he was being held against the patrol car by David and Josh; although their hold on them was starting to look slightly tenuous. “You can’t do shit to me!”

“Isn’t too wise to poke the bear, son.” Bo motioned over his shoulder at Tyler, as though Daryl was too stupid to know who he was referring to. “Just leave Sam the hell alone and we won’t have any more business.”

“I ain’t your goddamned son and only one that’s gonna tell me I can’t date Sam’s gonna be Sam.” Knowing he was getting in over his head, but unable to reign in his temper, Daryl flipped a bird in the direction of the other three and growled, “Now fuck off.”

The smart ass comment with the added touch of a finger gesture didn’t do anything to improve Tyler’s behavior, or feelings towards Daryl. Before David and Josh could stop him, their holds already weakened thanks to the rage surging inside him and the extra muscle he had on them, Tyler had pushed off the patrol car and was sprinting towards Daryl like a pissed off bull being taunted by a red blanket.

Not too far down the road, Sam had just finished up from volunteering at the library and seeing Ms. Ellen to her car, and was heading home when the sight of a patrol car at Daryl’s work caught her attention. Although it was a solid hour after the garage closed, she knew that he sometimes stayed late and wondered what had happened to cause the police to be there. Slowing down enough to peek at the business and see if it was Daryl or his boss that was there with the police, Sam saw what was actually going on. Cursing, she whipped her car in to the parking lot, damn near running over David in the process, threw it in park and slammed her door after she got out. Stomping over to the two men scuffling in the middle of the lot, Sam showed not the slightest hint of fear before stepping in to break up the fight.

Grabbing hold of Tyler’s shirt, she pulled hard enough on the fabric that the hem of it ripped in her hands as he lunged forward at Daryl once more. Aiming for his arm this time, Sam wrapped her hands over his massive bicep and dug in with her fingernails while screaming at him to stop. Maybe it was the pinch of her nails in his skin or the high pitched note of her voice when she screamed at him that caused Tyler to desist, but he finally calmed down enough for his concentration on Daryl to break. When he shook Sam off his arm, finding a trail of crescent shaped marks lining his flesh, and cursed at her, Sam snarled, “What in the hell are you doing?” Because, no matter if Daryl was an active part of the fight, Sam knew in her heart that it was without a doubt Tyler that started the whole damn thing. Glaring at her brothers, who now stood in a cluster with one another opposite of where Sam was protectively blocking Daryl, she shook her head in disappointment and laid in to them. “Have you all completely lost your minds? You think coming over here and beating up Daryl is going to make me what? Break up with him?”

“We just came to talk to him, Sam.” Bo stepped forward and tried to calm down his little sister, who was staring at him with enough hatred and anger to make him sincerely regret stepping foot anywhere near Daryl. “Things got out of hand.”

“I’d say so. I expect this behavior from Tyler, he’s an idiot. But you? You’re a police officer, for God’s sake, Bo. Act like it.” Sam narrowed her eyes and focused her attention on the two brothers who usually had better sense. “And you two? Seriously? I expected better from ya’ll.”

“He fucking started it!” Tyler snarled, his voice thick from the blood that no doubt choked him from the bloody mess bubbling out of his nostrils. The youngest of the Collins brothers, the one in the best shape and who had youth on his side, was doubled over and breathing heavily with his hands resting on his knees. Blood dripped from his nose and his right eye was dangerously swollen as he spat out a mouthful of spit and blood on to the pavement.

Sam looked at Tyler before turning around to inspect Daryl, who had yet to say anything since she’d arrived, not even to defend himself. His hair was sticking out in every direction, his bottom lip was split open and his cheek was swollen and already forming a bruise, but overall, he didn’t look to be any worse for wear than her brother, despite of being much smaller than Tyler, which should have weighed heavily in Tyler’s favor. She frowned at Daryl, her eyes filled with sincere sorrow, before turning back to her brothers. Placing her hands on her hips, she said, “Sure. I believe that about as much as I believe Santa Claus is going to show up and hand me a freaking lollipop. Grow up, Tyler. Actually, all of you need to grow up and get a life.” Sam turned back around to Daryl to head over and check on him when Tyler snorted. Angling her head back around to glare at him, she asked, “I’m sorry, did you have something else you’d like to say, Ty?”

“No, he doesn’t.” Bo stepped in, placing a hand on Tyler’s chest now that he was standing up once more and glaring at Daryl. “Like I said, things got out of hand. Who knows who threw the first punch? Let’s just calm down and everyone go home, ok?”

“Who knows who threw the first punch? You’re kidding, right?” Sam put her hands on her hips and squared off at her oldest brother. Cutting an eye across the street to the gas station, the one with the camera at the front door that aimed directly across the street to the body shop, Sam pointed towards it and said, “Well, if there’s any question about it, we can always go ask the manager to let us see their video tape? That should clear things up, dontcha think?”

“Sam, just let it go, okay?” Daryl finally said as he came up behind Sam and placed his hand on her lower back. With his other hand, he wiped a line of blood off his chin and felt a sharp sting of pain as the edge of his palm brushed over the split in his lip. “I’m fine. Ain’t no reason to do anything but leave.”

Sam let Daryl pull her gently backwards, putting space between her and her brothers, until she was on the other side of her car. Focusing on him, she reached out and gingerly skimmed the pad of her index finger over the angry inflamed skin on his cheek. “But, look what they did to you. Oh, Daryl, I’m so sorry. This isn’t…they have no right to treat you this way.”

“Ain’t my first fight. I’ll be fine.” Daryl winced as she wrapped her arms around him, her gentle hug putting pressure against the obviously bruised ribs on his right side, but he didn’t shy away from her embrace. Instead, he glared at her brother’s over the top of her head and tried his best not to smirk at them. He rubbed his hands up and down her spine and murmured, “Let’s get outta here.”

“Sounds like a good idea.” Sam pulled back enough to be able to look up at Daryl without dropping her arms from around his torso. Running her eyes over his injuries, seeing that they would need to be taken care of, she asked, “Do you have any first aid stuff at your house?”

“Nah. Don’t need nothing like that.” Daryl kissed her forehead softly, trying not hurt his lip any further, and let go of his hold on her. “Done said I’d be fine.”

“Just because you’ll be fine doesn’t mean I’m not going to clean those cuts.” Sam kissed him lightly on the cheek, earning a muffled curse from one of her brothers, but managed to ignore the comment for the time being. “You go on home. I’ll be there in a bit.”

“Aight. Love you.” Daryl murmured the sentiment low enough so that only Sam could hear it. Not because he was afraid of what her brother’s might do if they heard it, but because it wasn’t any of their damned business. “Don’t go start nothing with them neither…not for me. Just drop it.”

Sam gave him a look that plain as day said ‘as if’, but at least promised not to get in to a big fight. “I just want to talk to them, let them know how things are going to be from here on out. Probably won’t listen to me anyway. Now, be careful and I love you, too.”

She at least managed to wait until Daryl was on his bike and easing out of the parking lot before turning her attention back to her brothers; two of which looked pissed while the other two had the decency to look chagrined. Marching over to the other side of her car, Sam focused her attention on the two that had undoubtedly started the whole issue and said, “There have been a lot of days in my life where ya’ll have embarrassed the heck out of me, but today has to be the one that takes the cake. How is it that I’m the baby of the family, but I act older than all of you combined?” While the question was clearly rhetorical, she had to hold up a hand to let Bo know that she wasn’t finished. “I meant it yesterday when I said that I am done letting ya’ll tell me who I can and can’t spend my time with. If you ever do this again, I swear I will never speak to you again. Don’t make me cut you out of my life.”

“Really? All of this for some grease monkey shithead who just wants in your pants?” Tyler snorted and sneered as he shook his head at her like he had any right to be disappointed. “I thought you were smarter than that, Sam. Thought maybe you’d been raised better. Guess Cassie rubbed off on you more than I thought. Course…don’t have to work too hard to get in to her pants, so maybe you are still better than her.”

Never in her entire life, granted she hadn’t been alive all that long in the grand scheme of things, but never had any of her brothers spoken to her in the way that Tyler just had. Sure, they’d been embarrassing to grow up with, had spoken to her patronizingly and tried to tell her what she could and could not do, but never had they been outright hurtful about it. Blinking back the tears of anger that burned in her eyes, Sam stepped closer to Tyler and did something that she'd never done before...she hauled off and slapped him as hard as she could across the face and coldly said, “Go to Hell, Tyler.”


	56. Chapter 56

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews on last night's chapter!! Each and every one brought a smile to my face when I woke up for work and checked my emails.
> 
> There are four chapters in this section of the Present, so I plan on posting them all by Wednesday morning when I get off work for the weekend. Posting chapter 56 now, chapter 57 Tuesday morning, chapter 58 Tuesday night and Chapter 59 Wednesday morning, so make sure to check the posting date and chapter so you don't miss an update. :)

  
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_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

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**Previously in the Present: Girl's Night In with Sam, Cassie, Tara and Maggie**   


 

_**The present: Saturday, March 11th, 2012** _

By the time Sam rolled out of bed the next day, having managed to sleep a solid eight hours easily thanks to Cassie’s relaxation methods, the preparations for the festivities that afternoon were well on their way to being completed. Of course, unlike the days before the outbreak where getting ready for a festivity meant decorations and fancy outfits, things these days were a bit different. No longer did the town wrap the decorative trees that lined the streets downtown in ribbon and twinkling lights, there wasn’t any elaborate table settings or fireworks now days. Instead, the tables lacked flowers and were adorned with a single fat candle in the middle. The tables weren’t scattered about over a wide area anymore, now they were arranged in a tight formation around the stage that was set up in front of the municipal building. And, the only decorations, if they could be called that, was the makeshift fence of barbed wire and cowbells that was strategically placed around the party area to ensure that there would be at least a little warning if the music and festivities attracted any nearby dead. And, although they weren’t quite as bright as the twinkly lights of the past, there would be strands of solar powered decorative lights strung up overhead that would shine a little bit once the sun went down and the moon came out to join the party.

Since she had slept past breakfast, which wasn’t uncommon on the weekends, Sam nibbled on a Pop Tart while going over the set list for that afternoon. Once she finished up, she pulled on an old pair of jeans and sweatshirt, shoved her feet in a pair of sneakers, and went in search of her guitar replacement. She hated not giving Clay more notice, but since he loved to play and rarely got to join in with the band, he wasn’t known to complain if given the chance. Jogging down the road in the opposite direction of where the party set up was being worked on, Sam headed towards the apartment Clay shared with her nephew, Cooper, who was Josh’s son. Climbing the hidden set of stairs tucked between the old beauty shop, A Cut Above, and what had once been her favorite coffee shop, Jittery Java, Sam pounded on the door, knowing that both boys slept like the proverbial dead and weren’t likely to be up just yet.

“Aunt Sam!” Cooper tugged the blanket that was wrapped around his waist closed a little tighter and stared at her with surprise for a moment, before glancing over his shoulder down the hallway. “What, um…are you doing here this early?”

“Catching you at a bad time obviously.” Sam managed to get out with a chuckle. While she was curious as to who was in the other room, she wasn’t quite sure she was ready to accept that her baby faced nephew, who had turned twenty last month but didn’t look a day over sixteen, was having relations with. “I wanted to talk to Clay if he’s around.”

“Yeah, uh, Clay’s in his room. I guess you should come on in?” Cooper clutched at the blanket while stepping back to open the door wide enough for Sam to slip past him. Motioning towards the living room, he said, “I’ll go grab Clay. Um, you know Julie, right?”

Glancing around the corner, Sam smiled warmly at the brunette young woman she had once read to at the library during summer vacation. She tried not to blush as the little girl she remembered, the tiny child that had caught her and Daryl making out in the stacks once upon a time, nervously clutched at a sheet that did nothing to hide her well-endowed chest. “Of course I do. Good morning, Jules.”

“Morning, Miss Sam.” Julie offered up a tiny wave with her free hand and blushed profusely before slipping past to scurry back towards Cooper’s bedroom. Shutting the door behind Sam, Coop waved his hand towards the living room and said, “Have a seat. I’ll go wake up Clay.”

Sam inspected the cluttered living room and tried to find a respectable, and clean, place to sit and wait. Apparently, young men were just as dirty in the apocalypse as they were before, but at least this way there weren’t boxes full of stale pizza or beer cans littering the place; just mounds of clothes and other household junk lying about. Settling on the chair, Sam moved a wad of clothes to the couch and took a seat. After a few minutes, a sleepy eyed Clayton shuffled down the hallway, his red hair was tousled and sticking out in various directions. “Hey, morning, Clay. Sorry to wake you up.”

“It’s ok.” Clayton tried to wave off her apology, but followed up his words with a yawn as he flopped down on the couch where she’d just tossed the pile of clothes. He scrubbed a hand over his freckled face and yawned once more before asking, “What’s up?”

“You wanna play with us today?” Sam held up her bandaged hands and explained, “Not sure I can play too much with this gauze. Could really use an extra set of hands.”

“Absolutely!” Clayton Birch leaned forward and smiled brightly, his excitement over the idea instantly pushing aside his sleepiness. He’d grown up running around with Cooper Collins and thus, had spent a great deal of time around Sam at her parents’ house, and had harbored a little bit of a crush on her since he’d hit puberty. Of course, he’d never tell her that, but that crush had led him to taking guitar lessons from her and eventually, playing with her band when they needed a fill in. Sobering a bit as he registered the bandages on her hands, he said, “Heard about the attack. Glad you’re ok.”

“Thanks.” Sam dropped her line of sight to her hands and the scratches that no doubt needed to be cleaned again. Glancing back up at Clay, she filled him in on the plans for the night and finished it up with, “There’s some old stuff and maybe even a song or two that I don’t think the guys even know, so I’ll just play those, but overall you and Trey will be it as far as guitars go.” Standing up, she stepped over yet another pile of laundry and wondered just how many clothes the two of them owned and if any of it was actually clean. “Food’s being served at three and we’ll go on after that, so I’ll see you there. Thanks for this, by the way.”

“No need to thank me. Really, anytime you need me just holler.” Clayton followed her to the door and held it open as she descended the stairs, waiting until he heard the sound of the metal gate that secured the stairway bang shut before closing the door.

After some lengthy discussion with herself, and a good dose of bravery thrown in, Sam eventually managed to go back to the fitness center a couple of hours later and take a shower; a quick one, but a shower nonetheless. And, she made sure to skip the alley and opted for the front entrance and the main sidewalk to go back home. Once she’d swiped an alcohol pad over her scratches and applied antibiotic ointment to the inflamed skin, Sam added a thin layer of gauze over them to keep them from getting dirty. Having showered and taken care of her first aid needs, Sam got dressed; all the while telling herself that she wasn’t wearing her best looking pair of jeans to impress Daryl, nor was she wearing the form fitting flame red button up shirt because he loved her in that color. Intent on believing the lies she was telling herself, Sam jammed her feet in to one of her many pairs of boots, choosing the black ones with silver threading, smeared on a bit of rose colored lip gloss and added her favorite black cowboy hat to the outfit. Before leaving, she grabbed both hers and Jacey’s guitars, plus her banjo case, shoved the set lists in her back pocket and headed out the door.

Sam stowed the cases on the stage and headed towards the row of tables already claimed by her family and dropped in to a seat next to Jacey after brushing a kiss on the top of her head. With a smile, she asked, “You having fun at Grandma Donna and Big Jim’s?”

“Yes ma’am! We made forts and had breakfast in them this morning.” Jacey replied excitedly, still young enough to appreciate the simple things in life. “Grandma Donna made pancakes.”

“I’m glad you had fun, but I missed having you at home. It’s awfully quite there without you.” Sam put her arm around the back of Jacey’s chair and leaned in to squish her in a tight hug. “You staying there tonight, too, or coming home with me?”

“You quit trying to steal my grandbaby from me.” Donna good-naturedly chimed in as she put two plates of food in front of Jacey and Katherine. They tried their best to get the kids taken care of before telling the adults to get in line for food. “We’ve got big plans lined up for tonight and I’ll not have you messing with my fun.”

“Well then, apparently I’ve been put in my place.” She shook her head and winked at Jacey, who actually though Sam was getting in trouble. “Guess I’ll have to share you with Grandma Donna for one more night then.”

“She said she’d teach us how to play Gin Rummy tonight.” Jacey poked a fork at the baked beans on her plate and grimaced at them. In her opinion, adding sugar to beans still didn’t make them tasty. “But I’ll come home with you if you want me to.”

“No, kiddo, you go on and have fun. I’ll be up there most of the night anyway.” Sam snuck a hand across to Jacey’s plate and snatched up a piece of pickled okra that she knew the kid wouldn’t eat anyway. Munching on the tangy piece of vegetable, she turned in her seat to face the stage when she heard her dad’s voice suddenly boom from behind her.

 

“I’m going to make this short, I know everyone is ready to get to the food, but I wanted to give the official welcome to Collins to our newest members.” Jim gestured towards the tables that had been specifically chosen for the guests of honor, effectively causing several of them to blush or turn their heads out of nervousness. “This day in age our greatest line of defense is people and having ya’ll join us means that we’re a little bit safer. Welcome!”

The older her father got, the less winded his speeches seemed to be and Sam wondered just how long he was going to be able to keep up the position as the self-appointed town representative. Clapping along with everyone else, something that only proceeded in embarrassing the newest members further, Sam watched as her father motioned for them to go on over to the food line and fix their plates.

Turning back around in her seat, Sam was surprised to find her mother in the process of sliding a plate of food, too much food to be precise, onto the table in front of her. Sam glanced up to complain, “Mom, seriously, that is too much!”

“Eat.” Donna glared at her daughter, took in the sight of the dark smudges under her eyes despite the sleep she’d gotten the night before, and cocked her head. “Lindy said you weren’t taking care of yourself, so if you aren’t going to do it on your own then I will just make you.”

“Fine. But if I throw up while I’m singing it’s on you.” Sam grumbled in defeat. When her mom was out of earshot, she turned to Jacey and said, “See? Even when you’re an adult mom’s still treat you like a kid.”

“But that’s ok, that’s what mommies are supposed to do.” Jacey replied with a smile before she raised her hand and waved at Daryl, who had shown up late because he’d been out hunting, but had caught enough of the speech to be thankful for his tardiness; not liking being the center of attention and all.

Sam felt the flutter of butterflies in her stomach as he came over and nervously fumbled with her fork, effectively dropping it in the pile of baked beans on her plate. Feeling like a complete idiot, she picked it up and wiped the juice off the handle while trying to act calmer than she felt. Thankfully, Jacey took the reins and steered the conversation all on her own and, by doing so, left Sam alone to attempt to eat at least some of the food that was on her plate. After a few minutes of nonstop gibber from Jacey about forts and pancakes, Sam had to step in and say, “Jace, honey, why don’t you let Daryl go get some food and then you can finish your story, ok?”

Daryl stared at Sam, despite the fact that she was doing her best to avoid eye contact, and wondered exactly what had caused her sudden need to avoid him. She’d talked to him yesterday at the cemetery, but had barely said two words to him when he had dropped her off at her parents’ house and then hadn’t said a single thing to him when he’d went with Rick and Glenn to get Maggie and Tara from her apartment. It was, in fact, as though the longer he was around her the less she was talking to him. He tried once more to catch her eye and, when he failed once more and realized he was being dismissed, Daryl turned his attention back to his sister. “I’ll be right back.”

As Daryl walked away, Sam had the decency to feel like a bitch for ignoring him and sighed at just how complicated her life had suddenly become; despite the shittiness of the world now. Shoveling in food at a rate that was out of character for her the older she got, Sam managed to clear off half the plate of spit roasted meat and beans in no time. Deciding that it was enough to satisfy her mother, she pushed the plate past Jacey to Kline, her youngest nephew who had the biggest appetite and told him to polish it off. Leaning over to Jacey, she kissed her cheek and said, “Got to go, kiddo. Love you.”

Hotfooting it away from the table before Daryl got back, she was halfway to the stage before she noticed that Cassie was sitting at the table with Rick. Cocking an eyebrow at her best friend once she got her attention, Sam shook her head when all Cassie offered her in return was a devious smile. Easing between the tables, Sam ducked down on the other side of Cassie so that Rick couldn’t hear the conversation and pulled her over so that she could whisper in her ear. “And, just what are you up to?”

“What? Can’t a girl eat with her new friend?” Cassie replied innocently, although the smile on her face contradicted the tone in her voice. While she was very much in love with Tyler Collins, she found Rick Grimes to be extremely attractive and if Sam’s brother wasn’t going to make things official with them then maybe it was time to explore her options. “It’s just food, Sam.”

“It’s never just food with you, Cass. Just…be nice, try not to break any hearts.” Sam kissed her friend on the cheek and stood up. As she slipped past the rest of the group, offering a quick smile and greeting while doing so, Sam hoped that Cassie knew what she was doing, but couldn’t complain at the thought of her best friend moving on from Tyler. While Sam loved her brother dearly, although she wanted to punch him in the throat at least twice daily, she honestly thought that Cassie deserved better and hoped she could move on and find happiness with someone else; especially if that someone was Rick Grimes, who already had a smile plastered across Cassie’s face.

While she had intended to pretend to be engrossed in preparing for the performance by fiddling with the set list and checking the microphone in an attempt to avoid Daryl, and hopefully, her feelings, Sam had barely been up on the stage five minutes before the rest of the band joined her. When the outbreak had struck, the other three members of the band had been spending the summer in Collins with her so they could work on their new album, so Paul, the drummer, and Trey, who played bass, and Ryan had all been there ever since. “There’s no rush, guys, I was just making sure things were ready.”

“Please, you know I’d rather be up here with you than making small talk.” Paul muttered with a grin as he walked past Sam towards the drums. The tall and lanky drummer lowered himself onto the stool and focused on pulling his long dark hair into a knot on the top of his head while the rest of the band started making the necessary adjustments to guitar straps and microphones. Sam had already taken the time to write out smaller set lists for each member and passed them out, while explaining, “There’s a couple of older ones that I doubt Clay knows, but other than that there shouldn’t be any issues. In theory.” Sam knew that in show business, even a simple town performance, there was never any guarantees that things would run smoothly.

“Ok, everyone ready for some music? It’s a little quiet out there.” Sam smiled out at the crowd and held up her hands. “There’s a little change tonight. Most of ya’ll are familiar with Clayton already and know how talented he is. Well, he’s been gracious enough to step in and help us out tonight. So, everyone give him a big thank you for me, please.” Sam angled her head to smile back at Clayton, whose face was nearly as red as his hair at suddenly being put directly in the spotlight. “As many of you have already heard, I actually met one of the members of our new group many years ago at a concert in Atlanta. I had the extreme pleasure of singing with her baby sister, who for an eleven year old was talented way beyond her years. Unfortunately, Beth and their father, Hershel, aren’t here with us anymore. But, if it’s alright with Maggie, I’d like to play the song that I sang with her sister.” Sam watched as Maggie’s face lit up with happiness, despite the shimmer of sadness in her eyes, and nodded her head. “Ok, well, Maggie, I’m glad you’re safe and here with us…and Beth, sweetie, I know you’re shining down on us today, so this one’s for you.” Sam pushed back the lump that suddenly formed in her throat and took a sip of the water she’d placed on a stool next to her. Tapping her foot in rhythm with the band, she waited for her cue to start singing.

_“Lyin’ here with you so close to me…”_


	57. Chapter 57

  
[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

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**The present: Saturday, March 11th, 2012**  


They’d been playing for close to two hours, working in a good bit of the songs that Maggie and Tara had requested, and needed to take at least a small break soon. Once the current song they were singing finished up, Sam took a much needed drink of water before turning back to the microphone. “We’re going to take a little break in a minute, but first I’d like to sing something that I wrote a while ago after my grandmother passed away. Gran always told me to follow my heart, to let it be my compass, and I’ve tried to pass that nugget of wisdom on to my daughter. Jacey, sweetie, would you come up here and help me with this one?” Sam smiled down from the stage at Jacey, urging her up to the stage with a wave of her arm.

Daryl watched from the rear of the crowd, where he’d slipped away from the festivities to smoke a cigarette, as Jacey scurried up the stairs onto the stage and took her place beside Sam, sitting on the stool so she’d be tall enough to share the microphone. He hadn’t gotten a chance to hear Jacey do much more than sing to herself a few times and found he was looking forward to watching her play, as much as he used to with Sam.

After handing the smaller guitar to Jacey and helping her get it strapped over her shoulder, Sam squatted down and unlocked the case that held the banjo that Ryan had bought her a few years ago on her birthday. Settling the braided strap over her shoulder, Sam winked at Jacey before stepping back up to the microphone. “I apologize if this doesn’t sound right, can’t say I’ve ever played with bandaged hands, but this song needs the banjo.” Looking over at Jacey, she nodded her head and did a silent count of three before starting to play the banjo. Then, when the time was right, started singing a song that always warmed her heart with the memory of her grandmother. _“Alright! Yeah, it’s been a bumpy road...Roller coasters…high and low…Fill the tank and drive the car.”_

By the time they were halfway through the first verse, Jacey felt the bundle of nerves in the pit of her stomach fade away. It was just like Sam had said, it was like once you were up on the stage nothing else seemed to matter. With her fingers maneuvering through the chords like an old pro, Jacey leaned forward and with a nod of her head and belted out the next line, _“Pedal fast, pedal hard…You won’t have to go that far.”_

_“You wanna give up ‘cause it’s dark…We’re really not that far apart…”_ Sam smiled over at Jacey a split second before they both took a deep breath and sang the next part of the chorus, _“So let your heart, sweet heart…Be your compass when you’re lost and you should follow it wherever it may go…When it’s all said and done…You can walk instead of run ‘Cause no matter what you’ll never be alone.”_

He couldn’t have wiped the smile of his face if he tried. Daryl was sitting apart from everyone else, tucked away against the side of the red brick building while he smoked a cigarette he’d had the fortune to bum off of Cassie, who always seemed to have a pack even when no one else did. Watching Sam and Jacey sing together solidified his belief that despite the fact that the little girl up on stage was his sister, she had been better off with Sam the whole time. Living with Sam had provided Jacey with a more stable and nurturing environment than he could have ever provided. The person he had been during the time in his life between the day he walked out on his marriage and the day the world fell apart wasn’t the type of man to care for a child. But now, he had a chance to make up for the mistakes he’d made back then and become the man that both of them needed.

_“When it’s all said and done…You can walk instead of run…’Cause no matter what you’ll never be alone.”_ Finishing up the song, Sam took a breath and said, “Let’s give Jacey a big round of applause for helping me out tonight!” After clapping her hands together lightly with a smile of pure happiness, Sam leaned down and kissed Jacey’s on the forehead before helping her down from the stool and taking the guitar from her. As she was about to lean back over to the microphone and announce that they’d be taking a short break, Sam felt someone tap her lightly on the shoulder. Turning around, she found Clay standing there with an anxious look on his freckled face. “What’s up?”

“Miss Sam, I was um…wondering if maybe I could play by myself while ya’ll are breaking?” Clay nervously fidgeted with the buckle that held the worn leather strap to his guitar. “You know how I’ve been working with Ryan, too? Well, he taught me a couple of songs….said we needed to have someone that could sing some stuff from the male perspective sometimes. Anyway, he taught me some of these songs he’d been working on…and well, I’d like to play if you don’t mind.”

“Male perspective, huh?” Sam cracked a smile but managed to not laugh at the notion. She’d heard that nonsense for years in regards to her lack of songs about mud ridding and beer drinking, although she did have a couple songs about whiskey drinking, which she thought had sufficed Ryan’s complaints about her abundance of love songs. “Sweetie, you go ahead and play whatever you want. Might be nice to have someone else to sing with around here.” She stepped back over to the microphone to announce the change of plans. “Hey ya’ll, Clay here’s gonna keep up the entertainment while I’m gone. Apparently, Ryan’s been working with him so there can be some songs with a little bit more testosterone around here. Alright, Clay, it’s all yours.”

After turning the stage over to Clay, to play solo in front of an audience for the first time, Sam ushered Jacey down the stairs and over to her mother, who was standing by to take the kids back to her house. Clay was just starting up a song about dirt road riding and beer drinking, which brought a smile to Sam’s face because of her previous assumptions, when Daryl intercepted them as they only a few feet away from the stage.

He hadn’t missed the flicker of emotion in Sam’s eyes when he stepped in front of her and Jacey, Daryl realized he had been out of her life for so long that he wasn’t entirely sure what that emotion was exactly, but was leaning towards an odd combination of embarrassment and annoyance. When Sam broke eye contact with him, glancing towards the table where her family was seated without bothering to say anything, Daryl turned his attention towards Jacey. “Sounded real good up there.”

“Thanks! I’ve been working on it _forever,_ ” Jacey beamed up at her big brother, completely oblivious of the tension that filled the space between him and Sam. “Sam said once I got it right and sang it with her, that we could start on a new song.”

“Sam’s a good teacher. Sure you’ll be taking over up there in no time.” Daryl stood there awkwardly, feeling like a fool for complimenting someone who clearly wasn’t interested in being near him, much less speaking to him. Not that he could blame Sam, but he had thought they’d been making progress in the right direction, however they had apparently not.

“Your grandmother’s waiting, kiddo.” Sam put her hand on Jacey’s shoulder so she could steer her towards the table where the others were waiting for her. Finally looking at Daryl, she apologized, “Sorry, but my mom’s taking care of the younger kids tonight and they’re waiting for Jace.”

“Grandma Donna’s going to teach us to play Rummy and maybe build some more forts.” Jacey exclaimed with barely contained excitement and Sam wondered if she’d have looked forward to such simple activities with her family if the world hadn’t fallen apart.

“That sounds…fun?” Daryl hadn’t meant to make his response sound like a question, but he couldn’t imagine Sam’s mother building forts with kids. The wrinkle in his brow at the notion of Donna Collins crawling around in tents made from pillows and sheets was erased when Jacey flung herself against him in a giant bear hug. Momentarily shocked by the simple gesture of affection, something he wondered if he’d ever grow accustomed to since he’d only experienced it a couple of times since Sam had been out of his life and those were few and far between, Daryl finally returned the hug. “I’ll see you later.”

Sam ducked her head, avoiding Daryl’s gaze once more and focused on Jacey instead of giving in to the tug at her heartstrings that his blue eyes stirred up inside. Walking away from him without saying another word, Sam got Jacey off for the evening with her mom and the other kids before taking the break that she actually needed. Glancing around for Cassie, she found her best friend utterly absorbed in a conversation with Rick, who was now seated next to Daryl, and decided to forgo joining their group. Slipping through the crowd, she made her way to the rear of the designated area and leaned back against the wall and focused her attention on Clay.

It seemed that after the first two songs, the initial nervousness that had plagued Clay finally wore off and he seemed a bit more comfortable on stage all alone now. The sky was growing darker by the second and the hanging twinkling lights had been turned on and were giving off a golden hazy glow. Sam felt a surge of pride as her oldest protégé belted out the last few lines of an upbeat song and nailed the final chords on the guitar. He wasted no time between songs, as though he wanted to get in as many as possible before Sam came back on stage, and she listened with rapt attention as Clay announced what song he was going to perform next.

“Um, this is kinda a new one for me. Ryan said he wrote it several years back, but we just finished it up with the guitar a couple of weeks ago. It’s called, _Don't Close Your Eyes._ " Clay rubbed his right hand on his pants leg and pressed his knuckles down to pop them before raising his hand back up to strum the guitar. He’d tried for years to master the technique of using a pic to play, but always came back to strumming with his fingers instead. _“I know you loved him...a long time ago...Even now in my arms, you still want him I know...But, Darling, this time...Let your memories die...When you hold me tonight, don't close your eyes."_

Completely oblivious as to the meaning behind the song, since he wasn’t aware that Ryan and Sam had broken up or the reasoning behind the split, Clay sang loudly and hoped he was making his teacher proud tonight. _“Don't you close your eyes, let it be me...Don't pretend it's him, in some fantasy...Darling, just once let yesterday go...You'll find more love than you've ever known...Just hold me tight, when you love me tonight...And, don't close your eyes."_

Sam felt like someone had punched her in the stomach as she stood at the back of the crowd with her heart in her throat as Clay sang Ryan’s words for him; his heartache, his feelings, his love for her and sadness spilling out to tear her apart inside. Her hand hovered over her heart as though it could protect it as Clay started into the next verse. _“Baby, I've been a fool...Holding on all this time...Lyin' here in your arms...Knowing he's in your mind...But, I keep hoping someday...That you'll see the light...Let it be tonight...Don't close your eyes."_

Sam felt the first sting of tears in her eyes a split second before one lone tear spilled over her lashes on to her cheek. Wiping it away hastily, she ducked her head to avoid the imaginary stares her brain was busy creating as Clay continued to unintentionally break her heart. _“Don't close your eyes...Let it be me...Don't pretend it's him in some fantasy...Darling, just once let yesterday go...You'll find more love than you've ever known...Just hold me tight, when you love me tonight...And, don't close your eyes."_

From her seat next to Rick, Cassie’s eyes searched the crowd for Sam, knowing that wherever she was this song had to be upsetting her. She’d known for years that Sam wasn’t in love with Ryan, both during their relationship before Sam had moved back to Collins to raise Jacey and after they’d rekindled their romance after the outbreak, but she’d never realized that Ryan had known it, too. In her search for Sam, Cassie’s line of sight connected with Daryl as Clay started the next verse.

_“Don't close your eyes...Let it be me...And, don't pretend it's him, in some fantasy...Darling, just once let yesterday go...You'll find more love than you've ever known...Just hold me tonight, when you love me tonight...And, don't close your eyes."_ Pleased to see the couples swaying to the music down in front of the stage, Clay couldn’t help but smile a little bit at the sight as he started to sing the chorus once more. He couldn’t see Sam in the crowd, but he hoped that wherever she was listening from that she was proud of him.

“Have you seen Sam?” Cassie leaned over and hissed the question at Daryl behind Rick’s back, before scanning the crowd once more for her best friend. “I haven’t seen her since she walked off stage, have you?”

Daryl shook his head and stood up to get a better look at the sea of bodies that surrounded the rows of tables, most of the people from town had shown up and seemed to be crowded around to stand and listen to the music rather than sit. On his second swipe of the area, luck was on his side when he caught sight of Sam leaning against the wall where he had went to smoke his cigarette earlier. Her head was dipped down, a hand pressed to her mouth and the brim of her hat along with the honey colored waves of her hair that fell forward as though the locks wanted to protect her from his eyes. Clay was finishing up the chorus and leading in to the final verse of the song when Sam looked up and their gazes connected.

_“Just hold me tight, when you love me tonight...And, don't close your eyes."_

Even from the distance, Daryl could see that her eyes were sparkling with sadness and he stepped to the side, around the table, to go check on her, but she pushed off the wall and bolted before he could get past the throng of bodies in between them.

Cassie was halfway out of her seat, having finally caught sight of Sam a split second before she ran off, when Daryl sat back down with a sigh. “Aren’t you going to go after her?” Without waiting for his reply, going solely on the shake of his head, Cassie edged around Rick and Daryl with every intention of chasing after Sam, but was cut off when Tyler grabbed hold of her harm. “Not now, Ty.” She sighed exasperatedly, figuring he’d finally caught her alone and was going to lay in to her about showing up with Rick, but was surprised by his answer.

“I’ve got Sam, you can go back to your um, your date.” Tyler had imagined the words coming out with more sarcasm, wanting to hurt Cassie’s feelings the way she had done his by showing up on the arm of another man, but instead, they came out tinged with his sadness and regret. It wasn’t like he had any right to be upset with her anyway, he had done nothing but make sure she knew that their relationship was built solely on secret trysts in the cover of darkness. He hadn’t realized how much he actually cared for Cassie until he’d seen just how beautiful she was when she smiled and how jealous he’d been when he wasn’t the man to put that happiness on her face. Dropping his arm from hers, he turned away quickly in hopes that she wouldn’t catch on to what he was feeling and headed inside the municipal building in search of his sister.

“Sam? You in here?” Tyler called out in the darkness as he entered the foyer. Edging along the wall, he pulled open the double doors and went in to the auditorium; flicking on one row of lights. Spying Sam’s legs sticking out from beneath the curtain on the stage, he crossed the otherwise empty room with long, purposeful strides. Crawling up on to the stage, he sat down next to her, lifted up the curtain and laid back on to the floor beside her, letting the curtain drop back in place. “You never were any good at hide and seek.”

“Had to make the spots easy or you’d never find me.” Sam managed to crack a smile in spite of the tears that were spilling down her cheeks. “I expected Cassie, or maybe…you know who.”

“Yeah, _He Who Shall Not Be Named,_ ” Tyler laughed at his Harry Potter reference, having had read a couple of the books to his nieces and nephews over the years, and folded his arms under his head. “Cassie was on her way after you. Told her to go on back to her date that I’d check on you.”

“I know about the two of you.” Sam rolled her head to the side to look at her brother, only a sliver of his face was lit up by the light that peeked through the split in the curtains, but it was enough to show his surprise. “She’s only out there with him because she’s not with you.”

“Like you were with Ryan? I heard you broke up with him.” Tyler quickly changed the subject. He had only just realized that he had deeper feelings for Cassie than he thought and wasn’t quite ready to share them with his little sister. “He’s a good guy, you know? Really loves you a lot.”

“I know.” Sam looked back up at the ceiling and sniffled. “I really messed things up didn’t I? Ryan’s always been there for me, always loved me no matter what and I broke his heart. And, for what? Daryl?”

“Daryl.” Tyler tried to keep his feelings for his sister’s ex-husband out of his voice, but failed miserably. “I’ve always said you could do better than him…deserved better than him and I thought you’d finally done that by getting together with Ryan. He’d take you back in a second, all you have to do is tell him you made a mistake when he gets back.”

“Even if I’m not in love with him? He obviously knows I’m not, you heard that song.” A fresh batch of tears started up and she scrubbed her hands over her face to wipe them away. “I’m not in love with him, Ty. Never have been, doubt I ever will be.”

“So, what? You’re just gonna give up all those years together because Daryl showed back up? Does he even want to be with you? Has he said anything like that?” Tyler looked over at Sam, who had her arms crossed over her face no doubt in an attempt to hide the tears on her face. She’d always been a crier, but she’d never liked for anyone to see her when she did it. Her silence spoke volumes as he waited for an answer that never came. Tyler sat up and scooted back enough so that he could stand up without the curtain being in the way. Leaning over, he grabbed Sam’s hat off the floor and held out a hand to her. “Come on.”

“Where are we going? I don’t wanna go back out there…not yet.” Sam put her hand in her brother’s and let him pull her to her feet. Facing him now, she looked up at Tyler as he lifted his hand and plunked her cowboy hat down on her head.

“Just come on.” Tyler tugged Sam down from the stage and across the auditorium, turning the lights off as they left the room, and navigated through the darkness down the hallway towards their father’s office. Pushing open the door, he used the lighter in his pocket to light the lantern that was always perched on the table next to the door and motioned for Sam to take a seat as he walked around the edge of the desk, pulled open the bottom drawer and procured the half full bottle of whiskey their father kept tucked away just in case. With the lopsided grin that caused all the girl’s to swoon, he held out his bounty and said, “Now we drink.”

 

**songs** Compass by Lady Antebellum  
Don't Close Your Eyes by Alan Jackson/Keith Whitley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys have enjoyed the past two chapters. The next two installments of the Present will be posted by Wednesday morning. Thanks!


	58. Chapter 58

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

__  
**The present: Saturday night, March 11th. 2012**  


 

Shaking her head side to side, Sam laughed while declining Tyler's offer. "Oh, no. Last time I drank with you, I distinctly remember ending up in the back of Bo's patrol car." Well, she didn't remember it distinctly...more like flashes of memory that were enough to have her second guessing the amber colored liquid her brother had poured into a glass for her. Waving off his offering, she chuckled at what little she could recall of their one and only night drinking together some ten years ago. "Bo said if he caught us that drunk again he wouldn't let us slide by driving us home."

"What's he gonna do? Throw us in the slammer for the night?" Tyler smirked and reminded Sam of her best friend for brief moment when she handed Maggie and Tara the joint last night. He pushed a lock of dark blonde hair out of his eyes and twisted off the cap on the bottle, letting it drop with a clatter to the table top. "On what authority exactly? Come on, one drink. Don't let your big brother drink alone. That's just sad."

"Fine. One and then I have to go back outside." Sam caved, as she normally did when any of her brothers asked her to do something out of her comfort zone; always the eager one to please the ones she loved. She took a tentative sip of the whiskey and felt the burn of the alcohol as it slid across her tongue, down her throat and settled in her stomach like liquid fire. While it tasted far superior to the cheap swill they'd consumed the first time, it still sent shivers down her spine as she'd never grown accustomed to the taste of any type of alcohol. In fact, if you counted how many times she'd been drunk you wouldn't even have to use two hands. Eyeballing Tyler over the brim of the glass, Sam narrowed her eyes and asked, "So, what're you gonna do about Cassie?"

"What do you mean? Like anyone could do anything with her. She's got a stubborn streak wider than the whole country." Tyler glowered at Sam, not aimed at her exactly, more at the thoughts and feelings her question evoked inside him. Shrugging, he took a big gulp of whiskey and considered polishing off the rest of the glass quickly and going back for another dose. "She's here with the new guy. Don't reckon it matters much what I want to do about her."

"Do you love her or is it just a thing?" Sam wasn't entirely sure she'd be comfortable with hearing her brother say that the only thing he wanted with Cassie Delaney was sex, but then again, she wasn't sure she was ready to hear him say he loved her either; not after the good twenty years she'd witnessed them fighting and hating one another. Even in the faint glow of the lantern, she saw the struggle in his dark eyes and took a sip of her drink before saying, "It shouldn't be any of my business, but you are my brother and she is my best friend, so...just don't be a dick, okay? Either tell her you care about her or let her go."

"I rarely plan on being a dick, Sam. It just happens." Tyler went for it and gulped down the rest of the glass in one fail swoop. Pouring another, this time not as full as the previous serving, he leaned back in his father's old leather desk chair and contemplated his next words. Cocking an eyebrow, he pointed out, "You're one to talk about figuring out what you want."

"We weren't talking about me, Ty." Sam followed suit and bit the bullet by chugging the last few dregs of whiskey from the ornately cut crystal glass that was way too formal for the situation, especially given the state of affairs going on in the world these days. Sam held out her empty glass and let Tyler refill it at least part of the way, having had all doubts of consuming alcohol burned away with the first glass. Ever the lightweight, her teeth already felt numb and her insides were warm and tingly. "He's been here a week. I should get a little more time to deal, you know, to process the gravity of the situation before making a decision."

"Gravity of the situation? Geez. You always get so fancy with the words when you drink?" Tyler knew she didn't, because Sam didn't drink, but it was fun to tease his little sister. Growing serious, he sat the glass down on the table and leaned forward, putting his elbows on the cherry wood desk, and said, "I just want you to be happy, Sammie. And, I don't see that with Dixon. Never did, actually. All I ever really saw you do with him was cry and I've seen enough of your tears to last a lifetime...and all of them were because of him."

"Is anyone ever really happy though? Is that even possible?" Sam replied, intending on sounding philosophical, but only managing to sound morose. She took a sip of her drink and tapped a fingernail on the glass while thinking about Daryl and what all Tyler had said during their impromptu therapy session. Feeling as though a lightbulb flashed on above her head, she said, "You're right, you know? I don't know why I'm getting all crazy about him being here. Daryl hasn't said anything about us, not in the ‘we should get back together’ aspect. And, here I am worrying about it day and night. I'm making myself sick for no reason, because he doesn't want me. He hasn't said anything of the sort actually. Shit."

"Well, you're too damn good for him. Always have been and always will be, in my opinion. Not that I'm biased or anything." Tyler winked at his sister good-naturedly over the rim of his glass before polishing off his second glass. In return, Sam offered him a smile that he thought was meant to be one of happiness, but only came off as sad, so in a big brotherly attempt at fixing the situation, he leaned over and topped off her glass. Sitting back in the chair, the verbal part of their therapy session came to an abrupt end as they both sipped their drinks and contemplated their separate issues in the relationship department.

Outside, Rick was watching Cassie bounce Judith in her lap along to the beat of the music and smiling with happiness that only a parent could understand. When Cassie had asked him to escort her to the night's festivities before he’d left Sam's apartment after picking up Maggie and Tara once their patrol had been completed, he didn't know what had shocked him more-her invitation or the fact that he had accepted. After being in Collins for a week, he hadn't spent much time with the woman, but he had associated with her enough to know that they had little to nothing in common. She was loud and opinionated, and he'd heard from more than one person in town that she had been known to spend a great deal of time in the company of other men, but there was something about her...a spark...that he hadn't felt with another person in a long time. It could just be that he was finally ready to move on after the death of his wife and Cassie was just the person that was there showing interest in him, but then again, maybe not. Maybe opposites really did attract and he was genuinely attracted to Cassie Delaney.

"I'm getting worried about Sam." Cassie suddenly announced, breaking Rick away from his thoughts. She was holding Judith around the waist so that the child could stand on her thighs and 'dance', while peering around her head at Rick. "Maybe I should go check on her?"

"She has been gone a while. Here, give me Judith." Rick reached out and took hold of his daughter and cracked a smile at how she kicked her legs vigorously as though she was still getting down to the music. He turned her around to face him and said, "Don't look like I'll be seeing a bedtime for you anytime soon."

"I'll be right back." Cassie stood up and smoothed out the front of her shirt, noticing that there was a definite dark spot from where Judith had drooled with abject happiness while dancing...and found that it didn't bother her. Playing with Rick's baby had caused fuzzy warm feelings and tugged at her heart. Maybe that pesky biological clock was finally kicking in? She'd never thought about having kids, but after spending the better part of the night helping little Judith shake her groove thing, the thought wasn't entirely a turn off. Although, actually being pregnant and birthing said baby wasn't at the top of her list of fun things to do. "Odd." She muttered to herself as she maneuvered through the thinning crowd in search of Sam.

"Cassie!" Sam burst out of the town hall, throwing open both double doors, and pulled her best friend in to a bear hug after running straight in to her. After she plastered the side of her face in sloppy kisses, she smiled and slurred her words a bit, in a manner that was reminiscent of a younger Cassie Delaney. "Have I told you lately that I love you?"

"Uh-huh," Cassie sniffed the air around them and found the familiar scent of alcohol lingering about. Glaring at Sam and then at Tyler, she asked, "What have you two been up to? Poor Clay's about to die of exhaustion up there if you don't save him...that is, if you're in any condition to sing?"

"Hey, we were just having a little brother-sister talk and time got away from us." Tyler wrapped his arm over Sam's shoulder and steered her around Cassie, who was cutting through him with the daggers in her eyes. "Chill out, what are you? The fun police?"

"Yeah, lighten up, Cass! It's a party!" Sam giggled and lurched to the side a little bit, earning her a darker glare from Cassie. "It's not like you didn't used to tell me that all the time." Looking up at Tyler, she poked him in the chest and, with as serious face as she could manage at the moment, said, "I'm going to go sing now. Remember, just because you can be a dick, doesn't mean you should be a dick."

Cassie watched Sam teeter down the sidewalk, heading back down to the stage with a overly decorative glass filled a quarter of the way with amber colored liquid that sloshed about, but miraculously managed to not spill over the edges. Shaking her head, she cut a dark eye at Tyler and said, "Well, I hope you're happy with yourself. You know she's a lightweight."

"Ah, hell, Cass, let her have some damn fun. She's normally wound up tighter than a coil, she deserves to let loose." Tyler shrugged and walked away from Cassie, leaving her standing alone just outside the building entrance before he said something about her being there with Rick. For once, he was going to attempt and follow his sister's advice about not being a dick.

Daryl had just returned to the table a split second before Cassie flung herself in to the seat next to Rick with a sigh of exasperation. He'd wandered off after Sam had ran away from him and taken a walk while smoking the last of the cigarettes he'd bummed off Cassie. Nudging her in the side, he asked, "Tyler get Sam taken care of?"

"Oh, yeah. Fucking brilliant, that one. I'm starting to realize he doesn't have a brain in that big ol' head of his. Tyler's solution was to get her drunk." Cassie glowered and stared straight ahead at the stage, where Sam was adjusting the microphone back down to her height and having a bit of difficulty thanks to being inebriated. "Hold on to your seats, boys and girls. I feel we're in for a helluva ride."

Daryl sat back in his chair, slunk down just enough so that he had a clear shot of the stage between Michonne and Carol, who were sitting across the table from him. He had to admit that he was curious about seeing Sam drunk. In the short time they'd been together, the only time he'd seen her even take a sip of alcohol had been the weekend before she had gone back to school when she'd taken a sip of his beer just to see what it tasted like...out of the bottle and not on his lips, because in her mind that had to change the taste. After one sip, she had handed the bottle back to him with her nosed wrinkled in distaste and had never asked to try anything alcoholic again; saying that there was no need when it tasted better on his lips than out of the bottle. Daryl crossed his arms over his chest in a gesture that screamed he had no interest in having a conversation with anyone and focused on Sam.

"Ok! Is everyone having fun?" Sam smiled into the microphone once she finally managed to get it back down to the correct height. "I trust that Clay took care of ya'll while I was gone? While the crowd was clapping in response, Sam took another tiny sip of her drink before sitting it down and turning back to face everyone. "We're gonna start off with some of our newer songs at the request of my girl, Maggie! This one's called _Undo It_ , I wrote it back a few years ago after the guys complained I made them play too many slow and sappy love songs. It was supposed to be on the new album, which obviously never happened." Sam giggled, although she couldn't quite figure out what had caused the moment of laughter, and swayed along with the music as she waited for her cue to start singing. _"I shoulda known by the way you passed me by, there was something in your eyes and it wasn't right...I shoulda walked, but I never had the chance, everything got out of hand and I let it slide...Now I only have my self to blame for falling for your stupid games...I wish my life could be the way it was before I saw your face."_

_"You stole my happy, you made me cry...Took the lonely and took me for a ride...and I wanna uh-uh-uh-undo it! You had my heart, now I want it back! I'm starting to see everything you lack...boy you blew it, you put me through it... I want to uh-uh-uh-undo it!"_ The words in the song, the power in the chorus recharged Sam and by the time she was gearing up to hit the next verse, she felt as though a burst of energy had seared right through her. She tapped one hand on the outside of her thigh, while shimmying along with the beat of the music; a smile radiated on her face. _"Na-na-na-nah!"_

While Cassie and the rest of the town had heard this song on more than one occasion, it was new to the people she currently sharing a table with; most of which had no clue what had actually went on between Sam and Daryl, except that they'd once been married. Glancing over at Daryl, she noticed his sunken posture, his crossed arms and surly expression and figured he knew what was coming. The two of them were well versed in how Sam communicated her feelings, even if it had been a while for him, and damn it if she wasn't going to let him have it tonight. Cassie made a mental note to knock the shit out of Tyler for giving Sam alcohol when she was upset; which was only a slightly better option than giving a homicidal maniac a loaded gun.

_"Now your photos don't have a picture frame...and I never say your name and I never will...And all your things, well I threw them in the trash and I'm not even sad...Now, you only have yourself to blame for playing all those stupid games...You're always gonna be the same...Oh no, you'll never change."_ Sam licked her lips and took a deep breath before belting out the chorus once more; swaying and bopping along with the music, both out of the energy of performing and the liquid courage burning through her veins.

_"You want my future, you can't have it...Still trying to erase you from my past...I need you gone so fast! You stole my happy, you made me cry...took the lonely and made me cry! And I wanna uh-uh-uh-undo it!"_ She paused long enough to take the glass of amber colored liquid that her brother held up to her and winked at him before finishing up the song. _"You had my heart, now I want it back. I'm starting to see everything you lack! Boy, you blew it, you put me through it. I want to uh-uh-uh-undo it!"_

Sam smiled brightly out at the crowd, following it up with a quick tip of her head back to swallow the shot of whiskey. The sparkling lights above the square doubled and blurred for a moment and she swayed to the side once, but it didn't stop Sam from handing her glass back to her brother so he could splash a couple fingers in to it. Tonight's performance was definitely going to be sponsored by Jack Daniels, which she might regret tomorrow morning, but right now Sam felt like she was on top of the world.

*Song: Undo It by Carrie Underwood*


	59. Chapter 59

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

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**The present: Saturday night, March 11th, 2012**  


Daryl hadn't moved since Sam had started singing and now, a couple of hours in to the current set, he was wishing he could just shrivel up and disappear. Getting up and leaving wasn't an option, it would draw too much attention to him now that he was one of the few remaining at the table. A few had wandered off, either claiming to be tired or just disappearing without giving a reason, Maggie and Glenn had spent a great deal of time on the dance floor and he was left at the table with Tara and Rick and Cassie, who seemed to oddly enough be hitting it off together.

Sam was bordering on schizophrenic with her choice in songs for the evening, berating him indirectly with a barrage of songs about being better off without him or that she was no longer the woman she once was, and then, as he was about to stand up and leave, she would draw him in by singing one of her old songs from back when they had first started dating. She'd gone from shooting daggers at him, to smiling at him with that look in her eye that had his heart beating just a little bit faster and then back to cold-hearted daggers with barely a blink of an eye. It was, he had to admit, the most confusing concert of hers he'd ever attended. He attributed a great deal of her fluctuating, multiple personality-type issues on the copious amounts of whiskey she'd polished off; Tyler having refilled her glass for her mid-set. But, Daryl also knew that he was responsible for being the cause of it altogether and suffered through like a soldier in the midst of war.

Sitting next to Daryl during the current, and hopefully last set, had been downright painful. Cassie could feel the emotions rolling off of him like an approaching storm despite how hard Daryl tried to shut down and ignore everyone. She'd been nice and had sat by him the whole time, a feat that was truly difficult since her feet desperately wanted to do some dancing. Glancing over at Rick, she saw his foot tapping along to the music and decided that Daryl would be fine without her for at least one song. She reached out and grabbed Rick's hand, unoccupied since Carl and Tyrese had taken her back to the house a little while ago, and tugged him to his feet as she stood up. "Come on, let's dance."

"Oh, no. I don't dance." Rick dug in his heels and tried to sit back down, losing immediately when he realized that Cassie was stronger than she looked...or determined to make him look like a fool. He hadn't danced since Carl was just a baby, back when Lori had coerced him in to taking line dancing lessons with her.

"Nonsense. Everyone dances. Plus, I saw your foot tapping to the music, it's itching to get out there." Cassie grabbed hold of his other hand and walked backwards while pulling him out on to the clearing that had been dubbed the dance floor. While it wasn't as packed as it was an hour ago, there were still plenty of other people out there to distract attention from the two of them. Well, maybe, she was sure they were quite the topic, as she often was when it came to town gossip.

Falling in next to Cassie, Rick's natural instinct to lead took over and suddenly, it was like riding a bicycle. Holding hands, they stepped and heel toed and swayed to the music like old pros and he was shocked to admit to himself that he was actually having a good time. As he spun Cassie outwards, her long dark chocolate hair flew out around her and her wine stained lips smiled brightly and he found himself smiling back, a rarity in the days since the outbreak.

_"Well, this heart of mine...has been hardened like a stone...it might take some time...to get back what is gone,"_ Sam's head was a little dizzy, her limbs felt heavier than normal and her stomach burned from the whiskey that Tyler had been kind enough, or devious enough, to keep splashing into her glass. Swaying to the left a bit, she tried to play it off as though she meant to do it and carried on with the song. _"But I'm moving on...and you don't haunt my dreams...like you did before...oh, when I’d curse your name."_

Daryl didn't miss the way she lurched to the side or the way the glaze in her eyes seemed to be a bit more prevalent. She had polished off the latest dose of what looked like whiskey and, thankfully, had waved off Tyler's offering of more when he'd snatched her glass off stage. Although her heart seemed to be less in to the current song she was singing, the glare in her eyes no longer brimming with vehemence, the lyrics were enough to pierce his heart. He dipped his head to avoid her stare anyway, letting his long bangs hide his eyes, because despite the lack of utter loathing in her eyes, there was still plenty to be sad about as he listened to her sing.

"Ok, ya'll. That's about it for me tonight." Sam lifted the brim of her hat and wiped away the beads of sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand. She had managed to make it through all but one song on the list and was utterly exhausted, three sheets in the wind and ready to lay her head down. Glancing down to the table where Maggie and Glenn sat, she instantly felt bad for not adding in more slow songs for them to dance to on the second set. After a quick look around the crowd, she realized the majority of her family was gone, leaving only Tyler and Josh watching her now. Thanks to the liquid courage searing through her veins, and the lack of her father in the crowd, Sam said, "I'm going to let the guys go ahead and leave. I've got one more song to play and they don't know it."

Turning around, she waved the rest of the band off the stage while leaning down to grab her guitar out of the case. Wobbling a bit as she stood back up, Sam grabbed the glass of water off the stool and chugged the remaining contents before stepping back over to the microphone. She slipped the strap over her head and wiggled both her hands a bit to stretch them out and highly doubted that playing another song would hurt them too much since she could barely feel them as it was. "This was originally written for the piano, but it’s not out here." She licked her parched lips and took a deep breath. "Maggie, Glenn...y'all go on and get on the dance floor. This one's specifically for you...and if anyone breathes a word of it to my daddy, well...you're gonna be in a heap of trouble."

Maggie pulled a confused Glenn to his feet and joined the handful of other couples out on the dance floor. She had honestly thought Sam had forgotten her request and was pleased to find that she'd just been waiting to the end...or whenever her father left. When Glenn leaned in and asked what the fuss was about, she whispered back, "It's a song she wrote a long time ago, about being in love and making love. Said her daddy wouldn't approve of her playing it though, so she's never played it for anyone...til now."

"So, it's a sex song? About Daryl?" Glenn wrapped his arms around Maggie as the first waves of music from the guitar fell from the stage and washed over them. Pulling back long enough to look her in the eyes, he stated the obvious, "That's weird."

"Now that you mention it..." Maggie giggled a bit at the thought, but pushed it away as Sam started singing. Leaning her head on her husband's shoulder, she smiled and slid her arms up to loop around his neck as they swayed together to the music.

_"Baby, I've been drifting away...dreaming all day...of holding you...touching you...only thing I wanna do...is be with you...as close to you...as I can be,"_ Sam closed her eyes, the amount of alcohol in her system had decided to give her a healthy dose of double vision and now there were two Daryl's in the crowd boring a hole through her body, straight to her soul and she didn’t want to sing this song to one of them, let alone two. _"Let's make love...all night long...until all our strength is gone...hold on tight...just let go...I wanna feel you in my soul."_

_"Do you know what you do to me? Everything inside of me...is wanting you and needing you...I'm so in love with you...Look in my eyes, let's get lost tonight...In each other."_

As if to prove his theory on Sam's sudden state of schizophrenia, she'd decided to follow up the last song about her lack of love with what had to be the most intimate song she had ever written; the one he had found her writing in the middle of the night maybe a week or two after they had finally had sex for the first time. He recalled that moment fondly, the pretty flush of a rose colored blush that had seeped into her cheeks when she realized he was awake and watching her, the playful way she had tried to close the notebook so he couldn't see the lyrics, but she had finally given in to his pleas and sang it to him that night...while straddling him, with nothing on but a smile and her guitar. It had been, in his opinion, one hell of a performance. Daryl sat up straighter in his chair, shoved his bangs back from his face, and glared at her from his seat; his features no doubt a mixture of confusion, anger and, likely, outright attraction.

_"Let's make love all night long...until all our strength is gone...hold on tight, don't let go...I wanna feel you in my soul... until the sun comes up...let's make love,"_ Sam's heart was pounding in her chest, her head swimming and, as if there needed to be a reason other than being drunk to feel off kilter, she had opened her eyes to find Daryl staring a hole at her; his face a confusion mixture of emotions that she didn't feel in any shape to deal with at the current moment. Finally, she was at the last line of the song and utterly exhausted, physically and mentally, with a good dose of intoxication thrown in, she breathlessly sang the final words, _"Oooh, baby, let's make love...all night long...let's make love."_

Glenn followed up the song with a kiss, his lips lingering a bit longer than he'd expected to do so in front of easily half the town. Of course, all that mattered was that Maggie hadn't seemed to mind and had returned the kiss with a smoldering look that clearly stated it was time for them to exit stage right as soon as possible. Hands intertwined, he let his wife pull him towards the stage, where she quickly thanked Sam for the evening and, especially, the final song, before being dragged away from the center of town in the direction of their house. Their house. It was still a foreign concept, but a happy one that he thought he could easily get used to.

Thankfully, she was spared from cleanup as there was even a specialized group of people specifically chosen for that particular task and they were quickly filling the area to perform their jobs. Sam shoved her guitar in its case and strapped it over her shoulder, before leaning down to grab the banjo case and Jacey's guitar case; doing so a little too quickly and thus, lurching to one side heavily. Cursing lightly, she regained her footing and was leaning over to try again when Cassie and Rick appeared out of the corner of her eye.

"Need some help?" Rick asked, even though he was already reaching across the wooden slatted stage to grab hold of the items she was having an issue with. He had honestly expected Daryl to step forward and assist Sam, but the moment the final note of the last song had slipped past Sam's lips he had stormed off in the direction of home. Rick slung one case over his shoulder and held the other in his left hand, while offering Sam his right to help her walk down the stairs that looked like they had seen their sturdier days. "You alright?"

"I'm fine. Thank you." Sam replied as graciously as possible. The elating effects of the whiskey were quickly wearing off and all she was left with was the desire to lay down, or puke, or maybe both...at the same time. Sam stepped around Rick and tried her best to avoid Cassie's disappointing gaze, as though her best friend had any right to judge anyone for getting plastered, let alone Samantha, who had taken care of her for years when she had drank too much.

They walked in silence the two blocks to the front entrance of her apartment. Sam unlocked the door, only managing to miss the lock twice before sliding the key home, and stepped in to the dark room. She eased towards the counter that still held the old cash register and slid her hand across the top until she located the flashlight that was kept there. Clicking the button, she eased the guitar case off her shoulder on to the floor and said to Rick, "You can just stick those anywhere. I'll take them up later. Thank you."

Rick stepped inside and laid the two cases down on the ground next to the plywood covered windows along the storefront, before returning back to the sidewalk to give the women at least some privacy since Cassie seemed to want to talk to Sam. Her hand rested gently on his bicep as he passed her, her once bright smile seemed to dim as she motioned that she would be back in a moment. Leaning against the dark green painted column just outside, he waited in the cool night air for his date to return.

Sam was laying across one of the couches when she heard the front door finally close and was about to get up and lock it when she heard the scrap of boots on the concrete floor. Knowing it wasn't Rick, she muttered from beneath the arm that was flung across her face, "Can't it wait, Cass? I kind of just wanna pass out."

"That was very unlike you tonight." Cassie finally said in to the complete darkness since Sam had long since turned off the flashlight. Without bothering to find a place to sit, she remained standing while getting a few issues off her chest. "I know this has been a bad week. Daryl being here, Ryan leaving...I can't imagine how you must be feeling, but you can't let it affect you like this. Getting plastered during a performance? That's not you, Sam. Sure, a little weed here and there to relax you, but you're not a drinker."

"Really not in the mood for a lecture, Cass. Not from you. _Especially_ about drinking." Sam removed the arm from her face, but didn't bother to get up from the couch since doing so would inevitably cause everything to start spinning again and lead to badness. "Just because you went on the straight and narrow eventually, doesn't erase the fact that I scrapped your ass off more floors than I care to remember, so just don't, okay?"

While she knew that Sam was right, it still hurt hearing the hateful tone of her voice. Without replying, because she knew it was an uphill battle so long as Sam was drunk and being mean, Cassie turned on her heel and felt her way towards the door. Stepping back out in to the cool night air, a refreshing feeling against her anger tinted cheeks, Cassie wasn't surprised to find Daryl standing in the street a few feet from Rick. She had obviously interrupted a bro moment, but she honestly didn't care. She and Sam never fought, not that what just happened was a fight technically, but the solidity of their relationship meant that the tone of Sam's voice just now was enough to both infuriate Cassie and break her heart a little bit.

"Mind walking a lady home?" Cassie asked as she stepped over to Rick. She had no intentions of doing anything other than accepting a walk home, because right now all she wanted to do was sit in her apartment and sulk at the night's turn of events. Before slipping her arm around the one Rick offered to her, she eyeballed Daryl warily and warned, "Take my advice and go home. Nothing good will come out of going in there. It'll just lead to a fight."

Daryl shrugged and glared past Cassie and Rick to stare at the closed door. "Maybe we need a fight." Moving past the couple, the oddest one he'd seen in a long time since he knew both of them well enough to know how different they were, Daryl pulled the small flashlight out of his pocket and turned it on before pushing the door open and slipping inside.

"Probably a good idea to become scarce. They never fought much, but when they did...you did not want to be anywhere near them." Cassie tugged Rick off the sidewalk when he continued to stand there and stare at the closed door. They headed in the direction of her apartment a few doors down, arm in arm. Cutting a glance to look at Rick, she saw the worry on his face and said, "Nothing you can do for them. They have to work it out on their own, you know?"

Sam had barely moved a muscle Cassie had left and had resigned herself to the fact that she was sleeping on the couch that night, but there was still the issue of locking the door. So far, she had only managed to get one foot on the floor, but that was as far as she had been able to achieve before giving up. In the darkness, she heard the door open and then the slight brush of a heavy tread on the concrete floor and, assuming it was her dear friend returning to impart more wisdom in regards to alcohol consumption, pleaded with a slightly slurred voice, "Please, Cass. I am begging you. No more, not tonight. You can come back tomorrow and yell at me, but for now...go home."

"She's done gone. Rick walked her home." The beam from his flashlight found the bottoms of her black cowboy boots sticking up onto the arm rest of the closest couch. He'd seen some lanterns the night before and moved over to the counter to look for them. "We need to talk."

She probably shouldn't be surprised that it was Daryl as he seemed to have a knack for showing up when she least expected it, but she was. With a groan, Sam forced herself in to the upright position and pressed the heel of her bandaged hand against her forehead and rested her elbow on her knee. "Same speech, different person. Not. _Now_."

He located two lanterns and lit both, feeling they needed the light to really get the discussion going, although there was no doubt that some of the things they needed to discuss would be better said in the dark. Leaving one on the counter, Daryl walked over to where Sam was half-sitting half-leaning over on the couch and put the second lantern on the table just in front of her with a heavy enough hand that the sound caused Sam to lift her head and meet his gaze. "How much d'you drink?"

"Enough. More than enough." Sam laughed bitterly as she realized that maybe she hadn't drank enough, because she was still awake and having to deal with Daryl. Leaning her head back against the couch, she eyeballed him and asked, "What do you want that's so important it couldn't wait ‘til tomorrow?"

"Doubt you'll be in any shape to wanna talk tomorrow." Daryl didn't bother to sit, preferring the high ground in any method of attack, be it physical or verbal. He shoved a hand through his hair and sighed heavily as he looked past Sam to the brick wall behind her as though the words he needed would be scribbled there like a cue card. Glancing back to Sam, with nothing but good intentions in his heart, his voice was soft as he said, "This ain't like you Sam."

It took her a moment to register what Daryl had said, his normally gravelly voice was softer than she'd been used to hearing in a long time. It was that gentle almost gruff voice spoken against the curve of her neck that had once sent chills across her body and ignited a fire in the pit of her belly. Tonight, though, tonight it infuriated her...or maybe it was the actual words. Either way, Sam's case of double vision was gone and replaced with rage; the fire of her anger burned at the alcohol in her blood. Smiling up at Daryl in a matter that was not friendly in the slightest, Sam replied coldly, "How would you know anything about how I am, Daryl?

"I know you well enough." Daryl blinked at her question and took long enough to answer it that the flames of her anger were stoked well enough that Sam pushed off the couch and glared up at him.

"You don't know me, Daryl." Sam's voice shook nearly as much as her body as the years of anger she'd stored inside for this very moment finally made an appearance. "You know the _child_ I used to be. The _girl_ you had the misfortune of knocking up and marrying. You don't know who I am now. And if you don't like what you see now, well then just go fuck yourself. Because this..." Gesturing emphatically by swiping her hands over herself, Sam's voice was bitter and dripping with sarcasm. "This is me, this is who I am, and you made me. You did this when you chose your brother over me. Over our _marriage._ When you fucked that whore to get back at me for...for whatever bullshit reason you came up with to justify it. You did this when you walked out and never looked back." She paused long enough to take a breath, a useless breath that didn't calm her nerves at all, because the tears spilled over at the same time the fight left her body. Sinking back down to the couch, she laid her head in her hands and let the tears drip from her eyes on to the floor. Whispering, she didn't look up as she said, "So, screw the hell out of you if you've got a problem with who I am now."

"Wasn't like that, Sam. And, you know it." Daryl murmured in response to her claims that their relationship, their marriage, was based solely on the defective condom that had led to her pregnancy. He had known long before the day she had thrown the pregnancy test at him that he would marry her, Daryl just thought it would be under different circumstances. And, the rest of the events were skewed depending on who was telling them. Didn't matter how many times he apologized, how many times he denied having an affair, Sam never believed him. "I loved you. You hear me? I fucking loved you and you walked out long before I did. Just 'cause you didn't go nowhere don't mean you were there."

"Oh, so it's all my fault, I guess? Sorry if I had a slight case of a breakdown after I lost our baby, Daryl." Sam looked up at him, her face red and eyes shimmering with tears. "I am so fucking sorry that I wasn't there for you after I spent hours in a hospital, after losing our baby, _by myself._ Sorry I didn't adjust to that fast enough for you."

"How many more times do I got to apologize for that, Sam? How damn long are you gonna hold that over my head? I wasn't there for you. I fucking know that!" There had been a sliver of hope in his heart that they wouldn't fight, but he should have known that by the end of their relationship it was all they were ever good at and he shouldn't have expected twelve years apart to change that fact. "I wasn't driving the fucking truck that hit you! It wasn't my goddamned fault you lost the baby!"

Blame it on the alcohol or maybe the fact that she'd kept it bottled up for so long, the doubt, the blame, the self-loathing, but all of the sudden the words were out of her mouth and she couldn't stop them fast enough to shove them back down her throat. Standing up, she screamed, "I know it wasn't your fault! It was mine! I lost her! It was my fault!"

Daryl watched as Sam sank back down, failed to land on the couch and instead crumbled on to the floor, trembling in a puddle of her own tears. Confusion and heartache marred his face as he tried to understand the words she'd screamed at him before dissolving in to a crying mess. Sinking down on to the floor with her, crammed in the small area between the couch and coffee table, Daryl pulled her in to his arms and held her while she sobbed against his chest. "It wasn't your fault, Sam. None of it was your fault."

"Yes, it was." Sam sniffled and murmured the words against the soft material of his plaid button up shirt. All the hate she had for herself, the heartache she held on to tightly because of losing her baby, the doubts she had in her heart about the wreck, came spilling out in a rush of words that Daryl only comprehended about half of. "I was so tired when I left the wedding. It was late and I should have found somewhere to stay. I don't remember the wreck, I don't remember what happened, Daryl. I was so sleepy. There was just this flash of light and then this horrible crunching noise. I don't know what happened."

"The other guy was drunk, Sam. Don't matter what you remember." Daryl smoothed his hand over her hair and kissed the top of her head as his own tears finally broke free. "It's not your fault. He admitted to swerving in to your lane. Hell, he blew nearly double the legal limit, Sam…and that was hours after the wreck. Yeah, you were sleepy, but that don't mean you did nothing wrong." Of course, had he been there to drive her to the wedding and home after, had he been where he was supposed to be, maybe she'd have been on time and maybe the reception wouldn't have ran over. If either of them was to blame, it was him.

 

*Songs: Lady Antebellum: Love Don’t Live Here  
Faith Hill: Let’s Make Love


	60. Chapter 60

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so very much to everyone that took the time to leave such awesome reviews last week! Love, love, love all of them.
> 
> I have scooted forward a bit in the Past, because if I didn't this story would be well over 200 chapters! LOL

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

__  
**Previously in the Past:**  
Sam was confronted by her parents and a cease fire was called, except her brother's didn't get the message and they started a fight in the parking lot of Daryl's job. Sam interrupted it and slapped Tyler for being an ass.

 

_**The Past: Saturday, August 14th, 1999** _

The next month flew by way too fast for Sam’s liking, who felt as though the hands on the clock were spinning around faster than normal as she tried to cram in as much time with Daryl as she could before leaving for college. After the tumultuous ordeal between Daryl and her brothers, things had actually calmed down for the two of them. Once Daryl’s bruises and cuts had healed a bit, they had taken their relationship out in to the public eye. And, amazingly, no one seemed to care. Sure, there had been a few questioning stares, but nothing more than curiosity since Sam rarely dated and Daryl was new in town. In fact, the only people that had any issue with their relationship was Sam’s family. She shouldn’t have been shocked by that discovery, but she was.

After more than a couple of incidents where Daryl had been late to work because he was otherwise engaged in bedroom activities with Sam, and had been given a stern warning from his boss because of them, they’d had to put the kibosh on work night sleepovers. Of course, numerous complaints from her parents may have also factored heavily in to that decision, too. But, that didn’t mean she hadn’t been waiting for him at his home every afternoon and hadn’t left until close to midnight every night. And weekends, well, weekends were the best in Sam’s opinion, especially Saturdays; sleeping in, wrapped in Daryl’s arms, were by far the best way to wake up. Sometimes, it took them hours to crawl out of bed and do something productive with the day.

And, the current Saturday morning had not disappointed her. Sam rolled off of Daryl with a smile of utter satisfaction on her face and a sigh of happiness. Clearly lacking the modesty that she possessed in any other situation that didn’t involve Daryl and the privacy of his home, she laid there completely nude with her arms flung upward over the pillows while he discarded the used condom. She had a few moments of complete bliss before the events of the night that lay ahead of them popped in to her brain. “We could just skip tonight, you know? Go in to hiding and just avoid the whole ordeal.”

“Don’t see how we can’t.” Daryl laid back down on the bed and pulled Sam into his arms. He kissed the top of her head, which was resting on his chest, and tugged the sheets back up over them. “Skipping ain’t the best way to get your family to like me.”

“You’re right. I hate it, but you’re right.” Sam frowned as she idly traced her fingers across his chest. When her mother had announced earlier in the week that they were having a family cookout before she went back to school, she had assumed that the event would be restricted to family, hence the name, but her assumptions had been proven wrong when her mother told her to make sure Daryl was there, too. At first, she had been excited by the invitation, thinking that maybe her family was finally accepting their relationship, but now Sam just wondered if it was a way for them to interrogate him since she had fought tooth and nail to keep them apart since they had started dating. Tipping her head up to look at him, she said, “We won’t stay forever, in and out and back here in no time. I really don’t want to spend my last night with you for a while with my parents.”

No matter how many times he had told himself over the course of their relationship that Sam would be leaving at the end of the summer, Daryl had continued to fall deeper and deeper in love with her and now that that time had arrived he was devastated, although he wouldn’t let on just how upset he was. He didn’t want to burden Sam with his feelings, didn’t want her to feel any worse about leaving than he could tell she already did. While he didn’t question Sam’s feelings for him, had no doubt in his mind that she loved him, Daryl was still plagued by the nagging doubts that Sam would forget about him once she got back to school and her friends. As his hand ran through her hair, because he knew that Sam loved it when he played with the thick golden locks, he silently hoped that the next twenty four hours would go by as slowly as possible.

Later that afternoon, they headed towards the Collins estate in Sam’s Camaro, both of them a bundle of nerves at the prospect of the evening with her family. Thankfully, Cassie had been added to the guest list and Daryl was grateful to have at least one other person there in his corner besides Sam. By the time they arrived they’d had to park on the street since they were clearly the last ones there thanks to running more than a little late due to Sam deciding to join him in the shower, which had led to them getting slightly sidetracked.

His hand shook as he held the passenger door open for Sam. Their eyes met as she stood up, her gentle smile and the feel of her hand slipping in to his did little to comfort him or ease his nerves as they walked towards the kitchen entry door. Daryl swallowed the lump in his throat as he clutched her hand tightly and tried not to do the same to the bundle of flowers in his other hand, an offering to her mother that Sam swore she would appreciate. He’d never been to a gathering where it was customary to bring anything other than the case of beer you planned on consuming, or maybe a pack of hot dogs or a baggie of pot, and that thought alone was enough to reaffirm how different he was from the Collins family.

“Last chance to run.” Sam joked, trying to keep her tone light. They were standing on the brick stairway at the kitchen door, where her mother and Lindy were located putting the finishing touches on the meal. Sam lifted up on to the tips of her toes and brushed a gentle, hopefully reassuring kiss across Daryl’s lips and hated seeing the anxiousness in his beautiful blue eyes.

“Nah, I got this. Been in worse situations.” Daryl didn’t elaborate and Sam didn’t ask, both preferring to not bring certain aspects of his life to light; each having their own reasons for not doing so. Although, Daryl couldn’t recall ever being this nervous over entering a house before and he had been in some seriously shady residences over the span of his twenty six years on earth. Pulling their joined hands up to his mouth, he placed a kiss on Sam’s knuckles and said, “Just don’t leave me alone.”

“I promise.” Sam wished she could say that she’d never leave him alone again, but knew those words would be a lie since she was leaving him the next day. She wished her parents hadn’t planned the stupid cookout, wished that they had just left her alone to spend her last night in town with Daryl. Nodding towards the door, she said, “Let’s get this over with so I can have you to myself again.”

Daryl knew they should go on inside, do like Sam said and get the hard part of the night over with so they could spend the rest of the time they had left together, but first he needed one thing. He let his hold on her hand drop so he could cup his hand at the base of her neck and pull Sam towards him, lowering his head to cover her lips with his own. Wasn’t likely the best idea since they had rarely been known to stop at just one kiss, but right now he felt like a heroin addict that needed a hit to get through an afternoon; Sam was his addiction and her kisses soothed him.

“Ahem,” Donna Collins had known the second that Sam and Daryl had arrived, since she’d been checking the window in the living room periodically. After fifteen minutes had passed and they hadn’t come inside, she had peeked out the back windows of the kitchen to see if they had went back there first, but had come up empty handed and had checked the kitchen door just in case. That was when she’d had the pleasure of finding them tangled in one another’s arms and making out on the porch stoop like teenagers; which Sam was, but her date certainly wasn’t and should have had better control of his hormones.

“Mom! Hi!” Sam stumbled slightly once her mother’s voice had interrupted them and caused Daryl to drop his hold on her like she was suddenly made of fire and he was in pain. As discretely as possible, she wiped at the moisture around her lips and apologized. “Um, sorry we’re a little late. Uh, Mom, you remember Daryl?”

“Yes, of course. Hello, Daryl.” Donna plastered a smile on her face, her game face of sorts, and stepped aside so that they could come in to the house. “Glad you could join us for the evening. I know we’re all going to miss Sam when she leaves tomorrow.”

“Yes ma’am, um…thanks for inviting me.” Daryl was so nervous he actually felt beads of sweat forming on his forehead in spite of the cool blast of air conditioning in the kitchen. Thrusting out the bouquet of flowers towards Sam’s mother and choked out, “These are for you.”

“Oh, well, thank you very much. They’re lovely.” She took the bouquet from Daryl’s hands, the ones that her daughter clearly picked out since she doubted that Daryl knew her favorite flowers were yellow tulips and white roses, and walked over to the cabinet near the sink to locate a vase to put them in. Motioning towards Bo’s wife, Donna asked, “Daryl, have you met Lindy, yet?”

“No, Donna, we haven’t met yet. Hi, I’m Bo’s wife, Lindy. Nice to finally meet you.” Lindy stuck her hand out across the island, where she was busy chopping carrots to add to the vegetable tray, and shook Daryl’s hand. From the way her husband had described Daryl one would have thought he was a leper, but from her perspective he was actually a very attractive young man. Winking at Sam, she smiled and said, “Well, Sam, I can see why you’ve been hiding him.”

Sam nearly choked on the carrot she’d snagged from the cutting board in front of her sister-in-law. She glanced at Daryl and found his cheeks had managed to deepen in to a darker shade of red at the compliment, something she was sure he wouldn’t get while in the Collins household. Reaching out, she took Daryl’s hand in hers and squeezed it lightly. “Yep, didn’t want anyone trying to steal him from me.”

As the three women scuttled around finishing up the last of the preparations for dinner, Daryl cut an eye out to the patio where the rest of the family was located and wondered if maybe he could just spend the evening in the kitchen with Sam, her mom and Lindy instead. At least Donna Collins was well mannered enough to keep her contempt for him hidden and at least pretend to enjoy his company, something he doubted the male figures in the family would be able to do.

“About time ya’ll showed up!” Cassie announced loudly, obviously relieved to see that the couple had finally arrived, as she came in the back door; looking more respectable than Daryl had ever seen her in a navy blue skirt of modest length and a white tank top covered in navy and yellow tiny flowers. He figured they both had to play dress up to spend time with Sam’s family, each needing costumes to gain the approval of her family. “Big Jim said the burgers are ready.”

“Here, I got that.” Daryl stepped around Lindy and picked up the platter of vegetables she’d been cutting up. When Sam’s sister-in-law smiled and thanked him, Daryl wondered how Bo managed to get someone as pretty as Lindy since his personality seemed to be lacking severely. Following Sam out the door, Daryl felt like an antelope being led to a watering hole surrounded by a pride of hungry lions.

“It’s not so bad, I promise. Just do a lot of nodding and smiling.” Cassie hissed in his ear as she eased past him to put the bowl of potato salad on the table. Daryl didn’t miss the way she sashayed past Sam’s brother, putting a little extra swing to her curvaceous hips than normal, and didn’t fail to notice the flare of interest Tyler’s eyes at the sight. It wasn’t the first time he had noticed the interest both parties had in one another, but he had never witnessed anything other than mild flirtation and frankly, he thought Cassie could do better.

“Daddy, I’d like you to meet Daryl, my boyfriend. Daryl, this is my daddy, Jim.” Sam slid up next to him, letting her hand rest on the back of his shoulder as she introduced him to her father. Keeping up her promise not to leave him alone, Sam stuck to him like glue through the barrage of introductions.

“Nice to meet you, sir.” Daryl reached out and offered Sam’s father his hand and was honestly shocked when the man returned the handshake, having fully expected a complete rebuff. He had, of course, seen Jim Collins at Sam’s birthday, but only from afar so meeting him tonight was a bit imposing since the man was built like a freaking redwood. Even at sixty-five years old, he towered over Daryl by nearly half a foot and outweighed him easily by an easy fifty pounds or more and, when you factored in the steely glint in his eyes, was quite intimidating. Daryl had rarely been afraid of anything in his life, not even the hands of his drunken father once he had gotten old enough to defend himself, but meeting the parents of the woman he was in love with might just be something that scared him.

Sam took her seat at the table between Daryl and Tyler, cleverly putting Cassie on the other side of Daryl to make him feel a little bit more comfortable. She was a little upset that her father had merely grunted at Daryl’s words, but at least he hadn’t ignored his handshake. That was a step in the right direction, right? She surely hoped so.

Dinner was exactly what he had imagined-an inquisition, a gruesome interrogation which had only been made slightly tolerable by the feel of Sam’s hand on his thigh. One by one, the male members of Sam’s family had hit him with a series of questions ranging from where he grew up, what his parent’s did for a living, all the way to where did he see himself in the future. Like he fucking knew? Daryl had grown up moving from one place to the other, barely making ends meet and never making any concrete plans as to what the future would contain and he had lived by those same rules until Sam had come along. It had taken having her in his life to make Daryl give more than a passing thought as to what the future held for him.

Now, the plates were cleared and while Sam’s mother and Lindy were in the kitchen cleaning up, the rest of the family was crowded around the pool where the children were currently swimming. Daryl hadn’t thought he could feel any more uncomfortable, but Sam proved him wrong by sitting his lap, a move that earned him more than one glare from her brothers; Tyler and Bo mostly. He had thought for a brief second that Tyler was going to come out of his chair, fly across the patio and attack him and couldn’t figure out why. That was, until Daryl realized that totally out of habit his hand was laying on Sam’s thigh, her bare mid-thigh since the hem of her flowery dress had slid up a few inches when she had leaned back against him. Quickly remedying the situation, Daryl moved his hand over to the arm rest, which earned him a questioning glance from Sam, but kept Tyler from instigating another fight between them.

“Sam, sweetheart, you think I could talk you into playing for us? Maybe a few songs?” Donna asked as she returned to the festivities with Sam’s guitar in hand. “I’m sure going to miss hearing your voice while you’re gone.”

“Of course, Mom.” Sam took hold of her guitar, but didn’t move from Daryl’s lap. She had planned on making an escape soon, but hated to disappoint her mother, especially after she had laid such a nice guilt trip about not hearing her sing for a while. But, that didn’t mean she was going to vacate Daryl’s lap to do so. “Just a few though, if that’s alright. We kind of have plans later.”

He had hoped that they would be able to get out of there soon, but the sight of Sam’s mom with the guitar dashed those thoughts away. Daryl knew what Donna Collins was up to and had to applaud her for being so devious as to know her daughter well enough to know that once Sam started playing she rarely stopped in a timely fashion. And, he could tell that was exactly what the woman’s plan was when she offered him a smile after handing Sam her guitar, a smile that screamed nothing but smugness.

Night had long since fallen by the time her family stopped making requests and she was more than a little put off by how much of hers and Daryl’s evening had been taken up by her family. Deciding to slip in one song, just one song specifically for him, Sam added in the one she had been working on for the last couple of days, the one that she hoped captured exactly how she felt about him. And, maybe singing it in front of her family would show them once and for all that the love she had for Daryl wasn’t going anywhere any time soon.

“Ok, one more then we’re out of here.” Glancing over at Daryl, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek before murmuring, “I wrote this one just for you.”

Daryl wasn’t surprised that she had written another song about them as he’d found her numerous times scribbling away in the notebook he’d given her, tucked away in the middle of the night writing songs and trying to play her guitar as quietly as possible so as to not wake him up, which was impossible to do since he always woke up the minute she slipped from the bed. What he was surprised by was that she had openly announced it to her family and prefaced it with a kiss. He would have felt better about the whole situation if Bo wasn’t currently trying to kill him with his brain. Thankfully, his wife somehow managed to draw his attention towards her and less towards Daryl, for which he was very grateful.

_“Dancin’ in the dark…middle of the night…takin’ your heart…and holdin’ it tight.”_ Sam strummed her guitar, her eyes were closed and her voice held a breathy tone that seemed to only be present when she was singing about Daryl. His hands were on her sides, his fingers lightly caressing her waist as she sang, and she wondered how she was going to function at school without his touch. Sam didn’t dare open her eyes for fear that the tears that burned there would spill over, suddenly overcome with a wave of emotion that threatened to take over and if that happened she wouldn’t be able to finish up the song.

The whole miserable evening was worth it after hearing Sam’s song, listening to her sing and feeling the rush from the lyrics that he had heard her working on the previous weekend, when he had found her in the other bedroom, trying to work on it as quietly as possible. While the meaning of the song brought a smile to his face, knowing that in only twelve hours she would be on the road back to school was enough to tinge it with sadness.

_“It’s your love…It just does something to me…It sends a shock right through me…I can’t get enough,”_ As she headed in to the last few lines of the song, Sam felt a tear slip past her lashes onto her cheeks and struggled to keep the rest at bay; wanting to hold off crying as long as possible. _“And if you wonder…about the spell I’m under…It’s your love…”_

*Song: It’s Your Love by Tim McGraw*


	61. Chapter 61

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, Luna, for all the wonderful reviews you've left on the past couple of chapters. I truly appreciate them.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The Past: Saturday night, August 14th, 1999**  
_

By the time they managed to get away from the Collins residence and back to Daryl’s house, it was already half past ten in the evening and Sam was having a hard time not feeling any resentment towards her family for monopolizing her time by reminding herself that they, too, were going to miss her when she left the next day. Trailing behind Daryl, holding on tightly to his hand as though if she left go he might vanish in to thin air, Sam waited behind him on the concrete steps while he unlocked the carport door. To Sam, the air between them seemed thick, pregnant with the emotions they were both consumed with in regards to her departure in a few short hours, and she wondered if she was just imagining the tension or if Daryl was feeling it, too.

Daryl opened the door and stepped inside the darkened kitchen with Sam trailing behind him quietly. For the past few hours, unless she had been singing, Sam had been nearly mute unless someone asked her a question directly and Daryl wondered if her sudden reserved mood had to do with her leaving tomorrow or if something else was wrong. Daryl walked through the kitchen to the living room and turned on a lamp by the couch before turning to face her; finding no answers to her worrisome mood in the expression on her face. Pulling Sam in to his arms, Daryl looked down into the shimmering pools of her green eyes and kissed the tip of her nose before asking, “What’s wrong?”

“I’m just not ready to not see you every day.” Sam whispered in return, hoping that he felt the same way. She sniffled and blinked her eyes several times in hopes that she could stop the tears from spilling over; she hated the fact that she cried so easily and didn’t want to ruin their evening by blubbering the whole time. With a slightly trembling chin, she murmured, “I’ve gotten sort of use to having you around.”

“I ain’t going nowhere. Be waiting right here for you whenever you get a chance to visit.” Daryl used the pad of his thumb to brush away a stray tear that had managed to escape and cling to the outer corner of her eye. “We’ll figure it out.”

“I really do love you, Daryl.” Sam lifted a hand up to brush back a lock of thick brown hair that refused to stay out of his eyes. Had someone told her back at the start of the summer that she would fall in love for the first time, fall so hard that the rest of the world around her no longer mattered so long as she was in Daryl Dixon’s arms, she would have scoffed at the notion. What had started out being nothing more than a summertime fling, something to pass the time until fall semester, had turned in to the first really big moment of her life and now that it was time for her to once again leave the town she had only ever wanted to escape, Sam found herself wishing that she didn’t have to do so.

For a moment Daryl was at a loss for words, not because of Sam’s declaration of her love, but because how her eyes reflected the heavy weight of emotion in her sentiment. He had loved her far longer than she probably knew, a lot longer than he had even been willing to admit it to himself, but he had never been able to verbalize just how much he cared for Sam. No matter how many times she had told him over the course of their relationship that she loved him, the abused and emotionally neglected child of his youth would always wreak havoc in his mind and plague him with the doubts that no one would ever really love him, or could love him. But now, staring down in to Sam’s eyes and for once, truly seeing the love and admiration she held for him shining back, Daryl actually believed the words she had just spoken. A lump of emotion filled his throat, and for a fleeting second he felt like an utter sap for letting his feelings show. “I love you, too.”

The rough feel of his calloused palm on her skin sent shivers down Sam’s spine as he slid one hand up her arm slowly, resting it at the nape of her neck and gently pulling her in closer to meet his lips. Sam wrapped her arms around his neck a moment before he dropped his hand from her neck and enveloped her in his arms. Sinking in to his embrace with a moan of delight, Sam relished the feel of his strong arms holding her tightly, the warmth of his body next to hers and the intoxicating smoky masculine scent that belonged solely to Daryl.

Daryl dropped his hands from Sam’s slender waist, slid them over the swell of her hips and down the multicolored flowery material of her sundress until he was able to slip beneath the hemline and slide up the smooth skin of her thighs. Cupping his hands beneath the curve of her buttocks, he lifted her up against him, heard her sandals fall to the floor, and smiled against Sam’s lips when she wrapped her legs around his waist. With her in his arms, Daryl slowly walked towards the bedroom.

The bed was still a mess from that morning, the sheets askew, and comforter halfway off the other side of the mattress to partially lay in the floor. Not that Daryl made it a daily practice to make up his bed, but the state of the bedsheets were in constant disarray so long as Sam stayed over. It seemed that no matter how much they tried to occupy their time with normal date-like activities, if they were at his house it was next to impossible to stay out of the bedroom; often ending up in the living room floor, naked and sweaty if they even dared to try to refrain from going there. Of course, that didn’t mean Daryl complained about the fact that Sam was insatiable, because he was, too, whenever she was around. But, he had to admit that there was a slight chance that by taking her virginity he had created a monster with a voracious sexual appetite. But, again, it wasn’t like Daryl was complaining.

As soon as they were in the bedroom, standing next to the bed where they spent so much of their time over the past month, Sam slipped from his arms to stand between him and the mattress. By the light of the lamp over on the dresser, he watched as she started undoing the tiny buttons down the front of her dress, her eyes never leaving his as she slowly let the sundress slip from her hands to puddle around her feet on the floor. Clad in only a pair of demure peach satin panties, Sam reached for him, slipping her hands beneath his shirt to caress the skin below lightly before sliding it over his head and tossed it to the side to land near the window.

She studied him, letting her eyes explore his body, drinking in the sight of Daryl as though committing it to memory. She splayed her hands over his chest, her fingers wide as she slid them over the light smattering of coarse chest hair and brushed her fingers over his nipples that hardened beneath her touch. Sam slid her hands down his torso and let her fingers follow the trail of brown hair that disappeared beneath the waist of his pants. Heat flared through her body as she thought about where that trail of hair went and she looked up at Daryl hungrily as her hands clasped around the buckle of his belt.

What had started out as a slow burn built suddenly into an intense heat when Sam glanced up at him with desire in her eyes. Her hands tugged at his belt, working at the clasp quickly, as he toed off his boots. They fell on to the bed together, a tangle of limbs connected only by their lips as they frantically worked together to divest one another of their remaining articles of clothing. Daryl’s hands left Sam’s body long enough to grab hold of one of the foil packets laying on the end table, having given up keeping them tucked away discretely in a drawer whenever Sam was there because it was just too damn difficult to locate one quickly when they were hidden. Using his teeth, he hurriedly ripped open the packet and sheathed himself, nearly frantic to be with Sam in spite of spending the majority of the morning inside her.

Sliding inside Sam with a sigh of contentment, because when he was nestled between her thighs and connected to her intimately was as close to any home he had ever experienced, Daryl covered her lips with his as Sam closed her thighs around him. As their bodies moved as one, matching one another thrust for thrust, holding one another tightly as they brought forth the desire that only they could produce for each other, neither one of them knew that this was the moment that their lives would forever be changed.


	62. Chapter 62

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Previously in the Present:**  
_

Sam gave quite the drunken performance, had a small argument with Cassie and then a heck of one with Daryl. At the end, she fell apart over the guilt that she'd been holding in for losing their baby and thinking it was her fault.

 

_**The Present: Saturday night, March 11th, 2012** _

Daryl held her while she cried, his embrace offering her comfort in a way that no one else had ever been able to provide. Sam’s tears had finally subsided, leaving her with rosy red cheeks and a snotty nose; not to mention, being physically and mentally exhausted to the point that she didn’t know if it were even possible to stand up and go upstairs to bed. At this juncture in the evening, she was highly considering just sleeping on the floor, since even the prospect of crawling up on to the couch behind her seemed daunting. However, there was still the matter of Daryl and what to do with him. Tyler’s words from earlier in the night were echoing in the back of her mind as she pulled back from Daryl’s embrace and scrubbed her hands over her tear stained cheeks. Her brother wasn’t the only one tired of seeing her cry over Daryl Dixon. Sam was more than ready to be done with the assault on her emotions that only her ex-husband could bring out in her.

Sensing the change in Sam even before she pulled away from his embrace, Daryl reluctantly released his hold on her and watched as she scrubbed her hands over her face; avoiding looking directly at him as she gathered her composure. He could tell she wanted to say something to him. Sam cut a glance in his direction, opened her mouth, but closed it quickly before looking away once more. Daryl didn’t blame her for being at a loss for words, their conversation…their fight…having taken an unintended detour. Figuring that Sam’s admission of guilt, the burden she had been carrying around in her heart, left her feeling raw and emotionally distraught, he reached out and brushed back a tendril of hair that was stuck to the dried tears on her cheeks. “You okay?”

Sam stared blankly at the couch cushion and nodded her head, while thinking that she hadn’t been OK in a long time. She had been carrying around the weight of the world on her shoulders since the accident that had led to her losing their baby. The psychiatrist she had seen a handful of times the summer after the accident, and the dissolution of her marriage that followed quickly in its wake, had said she was suffering from survivor’s guilt, along with the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder. Not that the diagnosis fixed the problem, Sam still suffered from the experience, the loss, spent every single day since then blaming herself, but at least she had been given medication to help relieve her from the panic attacks she still suffered from to this day, although not as severely as she once had.

“Sam?” Daryl leaned to the side to try and see Sam’s face better, only to find her staring blankly at the couch. When he got no response, he reached out and took her hand in his, threading their fingers together and was relieved when she didn’t jerk her hand away and actually responded with a gentle squeeze, which was reassuring. With his other hand, he touched her lightly on the chin and turned her head to face him. “Talk to me.”

“Daryl,” Sam murmured his name, but didn’t say anything else as she tried to gather her thoughts. Her brain was screaming at her to do one thing, while her heart was begging her to do another. For the past twelve years, in spite of everything that had went on between them, all she had ever wanted was to have Daryl back in her life. And now that he was here, as though her wishes had finally been granted, she didn’t know what to do. Of course, as her brother had so painfully pointed out, Daryl hadn’t uttered a single word about wanting to get back together with her. That should have made her decision an easy one, but with Daryl Dixon nothing had ever been simple. Realizing what she needed to do to protect herself, to shield her heart from being shattered by him once more, Sam pulled her hand from his and looked him in the eye as she said, “I need you to go home.”

His brow knitted together with confusion as he watched Sam scooted away from him and started to stand up. He thought they had made some progress tonight and now she was sending him away? Granted, it hadn’t been fun, unless you found it fun to watch the love of your life sob in your arms, but it had been progress nonetheless in his eyes. And now, she wanted him to leave? Shoving off the floor, he shook his head as he grabbed her bicep and turned Sam back to face him. “I ain’t leaving. You don’t need to be alone…not tonight, not after everything.”

“I’ve done just fine without you for years, Daryl. I’ll be fine without you tonight.” Sam replied bitterly as she yanked her arm away. He didn’t have to say anything, she could see the hurt in his eyes at her dismissal. Dropping her shoulders, she smiled softly at him, although it never reached her eyes, which were only filled with sorrow. “Why is it always so hard with us? It’s just so damned difficult, all the time.”

“Ain’t nothing worth having gonna come easy.” Daryl replied quickly, without having think of a response, because they had already had this discussion before and that time he had given the wrong answer. He wondered if she remembered what had been said that day, wondered if she recalled anything other than him walking out in a storm of anger. He shrugged his shoulder and reached for her once more, only grabbing hold of the air around her as Sam moved away.

“What do you want from me?” Sam repeated the question she’d asked him the first night he had shown back up in her life, only a week ago, but it seemed like so much longer.

“Nothing. Don’t want nothing from you.” Daryl knew that was a lie. He wanted everything from Sam. He wanted her forgiveness, he wanted to feel her arms wrapped around him once more, he wanted her to love him again, but he didn’t want to upset her any further tonight by voicing his desires. Tonight, he just wanted to be with her, wanted to make sure that Sam would be alright after having her breakdown in his arms over the guilt she had been carrying around on her shoulders, weighing down her soul and breaking her heart for so many years.

“It’s just too hard, Daryl.” Sam whispered as she crossed her arms and hugged herself, more in an attempt to keep from reaching out to Daryl and falling into his arms instead of comforting herself. She had given him a chance to say that he wanted her back in his life again, wanted her love once more, and he hadn’t. “It’s too hard having you here and…” She trailed off, not daring to finish the sentence and let him know that it was too hard having him there and not having him; his touch, his body, his love.

“Tough.” Daryl growled, taking her words at face value, not understanding what was truly in Sam’s heart. “I ain’t leaving. Not this time.”

“I’m not asking you to leave Collins. I wouldn’t do that to Jacey.” Sam unwound her arms from around her torso and moved towards the exit. Standing next to the door, far enough away from the glow of the lanterns that her face was obscured in the shadows and didn’t give away the anguish in her eyes. “Her relationship with you is more important than mine. I wasn’t lying when I said I’d deal with it, with you being here, for her. It might just take me a little while to deal, and I think I deserve that.”

“So, what? Where’s that leave us?” Daryl stood his ground, refused to close the distance between them and go to Sam; knowing that her position at the door was clearly meant to show him that she wanted him to leave. “What about Jacey? How am I supposed to see her and not you, too?”

“There is no ‘us’, Daryl. There hasn’t been in a long time. We’ll work it out, with Jacey. A schedule or something? She can stay with you, too, some…if that’s something you’d want. But, as far as we go…we’re just two people with a common interest.” Sam gripped the handle of the door tightly, the cold metal edge bit in to her palm, and pulled it open. “But, I do want you to leave. Go home, Daryl. I’m tired and I just want to go to bed.”

Daryl figured he was fighting a losing battle, that once Sam had her mind made up there was no way to change it and thus, he wasn’t staying with her, unless he planned on sleeping on the sidewalk outside. “You don’t need to be alone. Not after…tonight. Being upset and all.” He choked on the words that needed to be said. “Least let me go get Ryan.”

Sam blinked at him, confused for a split second as to why Daryl wanted to go get Ryan, before she realized that he didn’t know that they had broken up…or that he wasn’t even in town. Averting her eyes, not wanting to see the look in his eyes when she admitted what had transpired between them; not wanting Daryl to know that he was the real reason behind their split, she explained, “He’s on another run. And, I…um, we aren’t exactly together right now. I mean, we’re taking a break from things…from us.”

“Oh.” Daryl tried to keep his face neutral, attempted to keep the look of complete elation out of his expression. He thought about suggesting that he go find Cassie and bring her back to stay with Sam, but seeing that she was last seen heading arm and arm with Rick towards her apartment that didn’t seem like the best idea. Of course, Daryl highly doubted that Rick was going to do anything other than walk Cassie to her apartment, but then again, if he’d have been asked the day before if Rick would be out with Cassie Delaney he would have adamantly shook his head no, so what did he know about what Rick Grimes would and wouldn’t do? Daryl crossed the room to stand next to the open door, and eyeballed Sam briefly before asking, “Sure you’ll be okay?”

“As okay as I’ll ever be, I reckon.” Sam wanted to reach out to him, grab hold of his shirt, pull him close and fall in to his arms. Somehow, she managed to get her emotions under control long enough to refrain from latching on to him and begging Daryl to never let her go again. Instead, she stood ramrod straight while clutching the door as though by doing so she wouldn’t reach out for him, and watched as he crossed the threshold into the night. “Good night.”

Daryl barely got both feet onto the sidewalk before Sam closed the door behind him; the sound of Sam turning the lock over clicked loudly behind him. He turned and studied the plywood covered glass door that still boasted the family name in bold white letters across the top and stood there far longer than he probably should have, half hoping that Sam would change her mind and come find him. Once it became apparent that she wasn’t going to open the door again, Daryl’s shoulders dropped with resignation and he headed in the direction of the home that he had once shared with her.

Inside, Sam dug deep within herself and located enough energy to make it up the stairs and into her apartment, where she peeled off her clothes, leaving them lying in a heap on the floor of the loft, and pulled on the worn black button up shirt that had seen its better days. Once she was buried beneath the mounds of blankets, she rolled over on her side and pulled the picture that was tucked beneath her pillow out. Using the tiny flashlight she kept beside the mattress for emergencies, she studied the image and her heart ached at the sight of the two of them entangled in one another’s arms. If only she could travel back in time and fix everything that had went wrong, undo all of the heartache and pain, and just be back in Daryl’s arms and in love, but she couldn’t. With tears in her eyes, she slipped the picture back under her pillow and turned off the flashlight. Laying there in the dark, Sam cried herself to sleep.


	63. Chapter 63

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since it is technically my Friday and I get off work in 45 mins for three whole days, I am feeling froggy and decided to give you guys an extra chapter this week. I would very much love to hear what you think of the chapter!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Previously in the Past:**  
_ Daryl had the extreme pleasure of accompanying Sam to a cookout at her house with her family. Afterwards, they had some sexy alone time that may or may not have resulted in an upcoming Oops moment. :)

 

_**The past: Thursday, September 30th, 1999** _

For the first time in her life, Samantha James Collins skipped school. A true feat for any college student, especially one that was away from home and out from underneath the extremely watchful eye of her family; she had succeeded in not letting her newly found freedom get the best of her as it did so many students. The perfect attendance record she had maintained from grade school through high school had followed her to college and she had always been proud of that accomplishment. Now, however, she was breaking that record for the first time and it wasn't even for a fun reason like staying out partying or playing hooky to go shopping with friends. Nope, today she was skipping her lunchtime criminology class to sit in her dorm room and stare at the indicator strip on the plastic wand that was clutched in her shaking hands.

The month of September was nearly out the door, and during that time her period hadn't made an appearance. Not that its lack of appearance would have been cause for worry since she hadn't ever had a reliable period. But, it had unfortunately decided not to show up in August, too. So, when the last week of September had shown up without the accompaniment of the normally dreaded Aunt Flow, Sam had to admit that this wasn't normal behavior, even for her abnormal menstrual cycle. As she waited for the timer to finish counting down to decide her fate, Sam cursed herself for not making the appointment at the health center to get on birth control pills. She tried to tell herself that it wouldn't have done any good based on how many periods she had missed, meaning that if she was pregnant it had happened before she had left Collins, but that reasoning didn't do much to calm her nerves.

The resounding click of the alarm on her watch going off shot through Sam like a bullet and she jumped at the sound. She stared at the indicator strip, then consulted the instructions on the side of the box; completing the sequence of events no less than three times before dropping the stick to the floor. Snatching the box up from the comforter, she took another packet out and ripped it open hastily, letting the wrapper fall to the bed as she hurried towards the bathroom to try the test again.

Once all the tests in the two boxes she had purchased had been taken with the same results each time, Sam sat on her bed in shock a midst the sticks scattered around her with pink plus signs on each one. No matter how much Sam didn't want to admit it, there was no denying that she was pregnant. A sob finally escaped, one that she had pushed aside while taking the tests, and she fell over on the bed and buried her face in her favorite pillow; dissolving in a sea of tears.

Three hours away in Collins, with no clue that his life was about to be forever changed, Daryl locked up the garage bay doors and walked over to his motorcycle. Climbing on, he donned his helmet, fired the bike up and headed towards his house; which somehow seemed emptier now that Sam was away at school, despite the fact that she didn't actually live there. He hadn't seen her in two weeks, only managing two weekends together since she had left in August. Not that he blamed her, she was off doing exactly what a nineteen year old was supposed to be doing; enjoying her youth and getting an education. That didn't mean that he didn't miss her something awful and spent the majority of the day looking forward to hearing her voice at the other end of the phone before bed.

Daryl rounded the street corner and saw the unmistakable sight of his brother's motorcycle parked in his driveway. He hadn't seen Merle in months, not since he left Sam on her birthday to drive to Macon and rescue him, but he wasn't surprised by the fact that he had shown up out of the blue or that he'd found the house without being told the address. That was just Merle.

Pulling in to the driveway, he parked beside Merle's bike and gave a withering glance at the bright red compact car that was parked just behind it. Not only had Merle shown up without bothering to call first, but he'd brought along company. Daryl crawled off the bike, hung his helmet on the handlebars and strolled towards the carport door with something akin to annoyance on his face. Jerking open the door, he was assaulted with a thick cloud of smoke and cursed as he stepped inside the house.

"Merle!" Daryl called out, angrily, as he tossed his keys on to the kitchen counter beside a clutter of empty beer cans and an overflowing ashtray. Clearly, his new house guests had been there some time already. He called out for his brother once more and got nothing in response, but as he headed across the living room with the intentions of going to his bedroom, the bathroom door opened up and a woman walked out. Instantly annoyed, what little manners he possessed flew out the window and he snarled, "Who the fuck are you?"

"I'm Angie. Who the fuck are you?" The redhead replied with a scowl. She sashayed past Daryl, who at one time would have appreciated her curvy figure and ample bosom, but wasn't interested in the slightest now that he had Sam.

"Merle! God damn it! Get out here!" Daryl shouted, ignoring the scantily clad woman lounging on his couch without a care in the world. He was standing in the archway that led from the living room to the hallway when his bedroom door opened and his brother sauntered out looking like a cat that just devoured a bowl of cream, followed closely behind yet another woman Daryl didn't know. "In my room? Seriously?"

"How ya' doin', baby brother?" Merle clapped Daryl on the shoulder as he slipped past him; shirtless with the top button of his jeans undone and barely hanging on his slender hips. "You don't mind me being in there, do you? Shit, I's just showing Claudine a good time."

"Don't you got your own place for that?" Daryl grumbled with a scowl on his face as Claudine slithered past him, dressed more for a strip club than an evening in Collins. Trashy and easy had always been his brother's preference and that clearly hadn't changed judging by the big breasted woman with garish makeup and teased blonde hair that rivaled that of Peg Bundy that was making herself at home on his couch next to her friend.

"Nah, sombitch changed the locks on me." Merle stuck a cigarette in the corner of his mouth and searched his pockets for a lighter. "Hell, ain't like he's out too much money, ain't no one else gonna rent that shit hole."

"Where you been anyway? And, there ain't no smoking in here." Daryl gave his brother a withering look when he ignored him and lit up the cigarette anyway. Dropping his shoulders in defeat, the way he always did when it came to dealing with his older brother, Daryl slunk across the living room and flopped down in the recliner with a sigh.

"Up north of Atlanta. Spent some time in lockup for a damned trumped up drug charge. Damn near got my probation revoked." Merle didn't bother explaining that he'd skipped the obligatory meeting with his probation officer and that there was currently a warrant for him for doing just that. That information wasn't none of his baby brother's business anyhow. Settling on the couch between his lady friends, if one could call them ladies, Merle put his bare feet up on the coffee table. "Didn't figure you'd mind me shacking up here for a bit no how."

Daryl was about to reply, was going to try to coerce his brother to find another place to spend his time, when he heard a car door slam shut outside. Pushing up out of the chair, he crossed over to the kitchen and peeked out the window above the sink in time to see Sam dart up the driveway. He glanced at his company, noticed they weren't paying attention to him, and slipped around the counter in time to open the door just as Sam was preparing to knock. Not wanting to subject his girlfriend to the likes of the people currently occupying his couch, he stepped out on to the carport instead of inviting her inside; a mistake he would pay for in a few short minutes.

Sam flew in to Daryl's arms in a flurry of tears and gut wrenching sobs, too upset to do anything other than weep against his chest. When she had finally pulled herself together in her dorm room, one she thankfully had to herself, she had decided that the news she had to share with Daryl was definitely not something you did over the phone and had instantly grabbed her keys and headed home. Three hours later, her nerves had not calmed a bit and seeing Daryl had only caused the flow of tears to start back up.

"Sam, baby, what's wrong?" Daryl pulled back from Sam and used his hands to tilt her head up to look at him. At the sight of her bright red cheeks and tear streaked face, his heart clenched. "Talk to me."

At the same time that Sam opened her mouth to tell him she was pregnant, the carport door opened and a long legged blonde with sex tousled hair and kiss swollen lips stepped out on to the stairs, her impressive breasts spilling out of the low cut top so tight it was a wonder she could even breathe. "Daryl, sugar, you got anything other than beer around here?"

Sam turned her head to stare at the trashy woman and then slowly turned back to Daryl, who at least had the sense to look horrified by his current situation. Shaking her head, she took a step away from Daryl and felt like a complete fool for thinking he was sitting around being a faithful boyfriend while she was away at college; not realizing that she was reading the situation wrong. Sam turned on her heel and started back to her car, teetering on the edge of having a nervous breakdown or a homicidal rage.

"Sam! It ain't what it looks like." Daryl cursed and darted down the driveway after Sam, who despite being short could speed walk like a demon. Reaching out, he circled his hand around her bicep and urged her to calm down. "Listen to me! She's with Merle, damn it!" Of course, his case wasn't helped when the redhead decided to poke her head out to consult with the blonde on the state of affairs concerning their need for something other than cheap beer to drink.

"Looks like one hell of a double date to me." Sam scoffed as she jerked her arm away from Daryl's grasp. Wrenching open the car door, she stepped around it and prepared to crawl inside, but stopped and reached in to her back pocket. Pulling out one of the many positive pregnancy tests she'd accumulated that day, Sam threw it at Daryl, where it smacked him in the chest before clattering to the concrete driveway. "Congratulations."

Confused, Daryl leaned down as Sam peeled out of the driveway, and with a chirp of her back tires, sped away down the street; putting all eight cylinders to good use. Grabbing hold of the plastic stick, his heart damn near stopped and his stomach rolled when he realized what it was that Sam had thrown at him. He flipped the stick over to look at the indicator panel and cursed at the plus sign peeking up at him. He looked up just as Sam blatantly ignored the stop sign at the end of the street and gunned the engine, tearing down the street towards her parents’ house at a speed that was exceedingly over the limit. With a string of colorful curses, Daryl sprinted towards the house to grab his keys and go after her.

Coming to a screeching halt in her parent's driveway, Sam slammed the gear shift into park and tore through the yard at a raging sprint. The kitchen door rattled behind her beneath the force of being slammed shut and she stood just inside the entryway with tears streaming down her face and chest heaving as her mood swung violently back and forth from anger to anguish.

"Sam, what in the heavens are you doing here?" Donna asked, coming in from the laundry room to see what all the ruckus was about. Seeing Sam standing there with tears falling down her cheeks, she sat down the stack of clothes she still had in her hands and gathered her daughter in her arms; wanting to comfort her as well as find out what was wrong. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"Mommy, I'm...I...I messed up." Sam pulled back from her mother's arms, but kept her hands clasped tightly around her biceps. With watery eyes, she sniffled and sobbed, "I messed up so bad."

"I'm sure it's not that bad, baby girl." Donna wiped her little girl’s eyes and smiled reassuringly, because in her mind Sam wasn't the type to truly mess up and therefor, figured she was just overreacting. Leading Sam over to the kitchen table, she pulled out a chair and motioned for her to sit down. "Tell me what happened. Did you have a fight with Daryl?"

"I'm pregnant." Sam's voice was barely above a whisper as she finally spoke the words aloud. "I'm pregnant and when I went to tell Daryl...he was there was another woman there."

"Oh, Samantha." Donna sank in to the chair she'd pulled out for Sam, her hand clutched at the material of her shirt above her heart. While she had known for a long time that Daryl Dixon was nothing but trouble, she hadn't expected it to be of this caliber. She'd assumed he would break her daughter's heart, but hadn't figured on there being a baby involved when he did it. "Sam, how did you let this happen?"

"It's not like I meant to! We used protection. Every single time, I swear!" Sam dissolved into another fit of tears and hastily wiped at them with both hands as her chest heaved and a wave of panic rolled over her. "What am I going to do? Momma, I don't know what to do."

Disappointment filled Donna's heart as she lowered her hand from her heart and stood up slowly. Gathering her daughter in her arms, she rubbed Sam's back comfortingly and said, "We'll figure it out, baby girl. Why don't you go on upstairs and try to rest, okay? Just lay down for a bit."

Obeying her mother's command, Sam slipped from Donna's arms and headed through the back entrance to the stairs that would lead her upstairs to her bedroom. Trudging up them like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders, Sam turned at the top and crossed the landing to her bedroom. She curled up on the bed, laying on top of the comforter in a ball, and sobbed in to the flower shaped pillow as she wept for her future.

Downstairs, Donna wasn't shocked in the least by the sound of a loud engine roaring up the driveway. She met Daryl at the door, opening it long before he knocked and greeting him with a sour expression. She had nothing to say to him, not yet at least. She needed time to process. Pointing towards the stairs, she said, "She's in her room."

Nodding, Daryl eased past Sam's mother with caution, half expecting to be assaulted as moved past her. He wanted to say something to Ms. Collins, apologize for the situation, beg for forgiveness, something...but as he opened his mouth to do so, nothing came out. Dropping his gaze, Daryl headed towards the stairs and ran up them taking two at a time. The one and only time he'd been in Sam's room had been Labor Day weekend, and he figured this visit would be a far cry as enjoyable as that night. That night she had pounced on him the moment the bedroom door shut and they'd screwed like bunnies against said bedroom door, despite his argument that her entire family was just downstairs.

Without bothering to knock, Daryl eased open the bedroom door and found Sam curled up in the middle of the bed with her back to him. Closing the door, he crossed the space between them and joined her on the bed, pulling Sam in to his arms. Her tears had not subsided and the sound of her crying broke his heart as he kissed the back of her head and stroked her arm with his hand. With his head buried in her strawberry scented hair, he whispered, "I'm so sorry."

Sam rolled over in Daryl's arms to face him. Her eyes shimmered with tears and her nose was red as she stared at him silently, mulling over her thoughts before speaking. "That woman? Who was she?"

"Hell if I know. They showed up with Merle, ain't never seen 'em before. I swear it, Sam." Daryl brushed away the tears on her cheeks and kissed her lightly. "You're the only one for me."

"I'm sorry I stormed off like that. It just...seeing them just set me off." Her apology set off a fresh wave of tears and she wondered if they would ever stop or if she was destined to spend the rest of her life crying. A sob slipped past her lips and her chin shook as she clung tightly to Daryl. "I'm so sorry I got pregnant."

"Don't think you was alone in that." Daryl smoothed a hand over Sam's hair and pushed it away from her face; removing the strands that had become stuck in the wake of her tears. "How far along are you?"

"I dunno." Sam sniffled and tried to do the math in her head. "Maybe six weeks or so? I haven't been to a doctor yet, just took the test. And, yes, I'm pregnant unless eight different tests gave false positives, which I highly doubt."

"Marry me, Sam." Daryl whispered the words, and he was only mildly surprised at the lack of fear in his heart as he spoke them. He had known for a long time that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Sam.

"Just because you knocked me up doesn't mean you have to marry me, Daryl. It's not 1954 anymore." Sam's reply was out of her mouth before she saw the look in his eyes, saw the intent that lived there. "What? You can't be serious. You really want to get married?"

"Course I do." Daryl's brow wrinkled as he stared at Sam and tried to figure out what she was thinking, feeling. He had just assumed that asking her to marry him was the next course of action since she was having his baby. And then it hit him, what if Sam didn't want to keep it? The thought that she might choose to not keep it, that she might want to get rid of their baby, damn near killed him right then and there. "You're gonna keep it, ain't you?"

Sam's reply was cut short by the sound of her bedroom door slamming against the wall as her father barged into her bedroom. Jumping apart guilty, as if they'd been doing something wrong, Sam's eyes widened to the size of saucers at the sight of her father, red faced with anger, standing inside the threshold of her bedroom with a shotgun in his right hand. Instinctively, she threw her arms out across Daryl in hopes that her father wasn't angry enough at her, too, to actually fire the double barrel shotgun currently pointed at her boyfriend's head. "Daddy! No!"

"Get your no good, piece of trash ass out of my house!" James Collins roared, his heart thundered unhealthily in his chest as his anger tried to choke the life out of him. "I said move your sorry ass, boy!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone has a good weekend! Next update will be Saturday.


	64. Chapter 64

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews on the last few chapters! I loved each and every one of them!!!!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

__  
**Previously in the Past:** Sam found out she was pregnant, there was a misunderstanding at Daryl's house with some trashy women and her father greeted the both of them with a shotgun and a boatload of unhappiness.

 

_**The past: Still Thursday evening, September 30th, 1999** _

Sam clutched Daryl's hand as they sat side by side on the couch in the living room, while her father paced angrily from one side to the other and her mother wept in the wingback chair by the bay window. "Daddy, please sit down. Your heart." Sam begged, tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

"If you were so damned concerned with my heart you should have kept your legs together, young lady." Her father glared at her with coldness in his eyes in spite of the heat of anger that clearly radiated through his body and Sam's heart died a little bit at the sight. His attention turned to Daryl and with a snarl of his lips, his hatred for the man that had stolen his daughter's youth seared through him. "Knew you were nothing but trouble. Should've had you dealt with a long time ago."

"James, that's enough!" Donna cried, her tear stained cheeks shining brightly as she pushed out of the chair and urged her husband to calm down. "What's done is done. Now we figure out a solution."

"Mr. and Mrs. Collins, we...uh, Sam and I, we're gonna get married." Daryl found his voice, momentarily lost due to the sight of the double barrels of death he'd faced down in Sam's bedroom. His hand was clenched tightly around Sam's as he asked for her hand in marriage. "Uh, that is, if I have ya'lls permission?"

"The hell you do!" James bolted out of the chair his wife had finally managed to coax him in to. With a grimace, he accepted the stern look from Donna and sat back down, although he perched on the edge of the leather-bound chair. Pondering the situation momentarily, plunging the room in to an uncomfortable silence while he deliberated, he finally said, "My daughter isn't marrying the likes of you just because she made a mistake and got pregnant. She'll move in with her grandmother until the baby is born, then either Bo or Josh will adopt it, raise it as their own. Then, she'll get back to the life she deserves. One that doesn't revolve around you, Dixon."

"No." Sam's objection was quiet, but spoken firmly. Glaring at her father, she shook her head as she stood up, pulling Daryl along with her. "Daddy, I'm marrying Daryl. We're going to have our baby and raise it ourselves. I'm sorry if that isn't what you had in mind, but that's what's going to happen."

The silence she was met with was nearly as chilling as the look in her father's eye. Sam watched with a fearful heart as he stood up, as her mother's comforting hand slipped from his shoulder, and he finally spoke. "Then get out of my house. You no longer have a home here if he's your choice."

"Daddy?" Sam whispered, her voice choking on the emotions coursing through her body as her father, the most important man in her life, turned his back on her. She watched with tear filled eyes as he marched across the room and disappeared inside his study with a slam of the door that resonated through the house. Daryl's arms circled her body as she started to shake and sobs wracked her body.

"He'll calm down, Sam. Give him time." Donna stood up from the arm of the chair her husband had just vacated and smoothed the front of her shirt. She was torn between her husband, the love of her life, and her only daughter. Trying to compose herself, she brushed away the moisture on her face and regarded Daryl over the top of Sam's head; as she had crumpled against him in a fit of tears. "Take her upstairs. Pack a bag and take her home with you. We'll discuss this further later."

He didn't trust Sam to drive herself to his house, so in a manner very much unlike himself, Daryl left his motorcycle parked at her parents’ house and drove them to his house in her car. The ride was silent as Sam stared forlornly out the passenger side window. In all that had happened with her father, he had forgotten about the situation at his house until he pulled in to the driveway. Turning to Sam, he said, "I'll get rid of them. You want to wait out here?"

"No. I'll come in, guess this is my home now, too." Sam's voice was hollow as she sighed and got out of the car, slinging her duffle bag over her shoulder as she stood up. "You think he'll leave?"

"He'll leave." Daryl replied grimly, as he put his arm over Sam's shoulder and walked towards the side door. Merle would put up a fight, make a stink about being kicked out, but in the end he'd leave after he made his little brother feel bad about the situation. "He's good at that."

Sam bypassed the situation in the living room, stalked past the two women sitting on either side of a bare chested Merle and somehow managed to ignore his lecherous comments as she walked past. In the bedroom, her lip snarled in disgust at the sight of Daryl's rumpled bed as he had already explained that he'd came home to find Merle in there with his latest conquest. Snatching the sheets and comforter off the bed, she wadded them up and tossed them on the floor and marched over to the windows to open them; hoping the stale cigarette smell would leave the room. While Daryl dealt with his brother in the other room, she located the only other set of sheets in the closet and made up the bed, adding the lightweight blanket they had slept with during the summer months. Not wanting to go back in to the other room until Merle left, she crawled on to the bed and curled up in a ball in the center of it, and stared blankly at the wall while a shouting match ensued in the living room.

"Shit, baby brother. You seriously kicking me out over a piece of ass? Booting your own blood out on the street? Ain't never thought I'd see the day you'd turn on me." Merle sneered in disgust at the only member of his family he claimed. "Thought you was better than that."

"It ain't like that, Merle." Daryl's guilt ate away at him, but he had to choose Sam and his baby over his brother. That's what a man did, what a good man did and damn it, for Sam he was going to be a good man. She deserved that and so much more. Reaching in to his pocket, he pulled out his wallet and took out the few bills that were inside. "Here, get a room or something."

"Don't need no damn charity from you." Merle stalked past him, thought better of it and snatched the crumpled bills out of his brother’s hand. Shaking his head, the half smoked cigarette dangling precariously between his lips, he snarled, "That bitch ain't worth it. She's just a stuck up piece of tail that's taking a stroll on the wrong side of the tracks, scratching that itch, brother. Minute she's done with you, she'll be out the door and won't give you the time of day."

Daryl wanted to curse at him, rage at Merle and tell him to keep his fucking thoughts about Sam to himself. Sam was better than him, better than Merle and neither one of them deserved to even be in the same room with someone of her caliber, but Daryl couldn't say those words to his big brother. It was hurting him enough to turn away the one person that had always been there for him when he was growing up, always took care of him when his parents failed. Instead of speaking his mind, he watched silently as Merle stormed out of the house and slammed the door angrily behind him. He stood there in the living room, his eyes closed and his heart heavy, long enough after Merle left that Sam came in search of him; her arms circled his waist from behind and she rested her head against his back.

The clock read half past nine, they'd spent longer at her parents’ house than he realized. Daryl turned to face Sam and looked down in to her eyes and studied her intently, taking notice of the dark smudges beneath her weary eyes. "You eaten?"

"No. I'm not hungry though." Sam laid her head on his chest and held on to him tightly. She hadn't had much of an appetite lately, had suffered from spells of nausea and fatigue, and now she knew why. "I just want to sleep."

"You need to eat." Daryl relinquished his hold on her and moved towards the kitchen. "All's I got is sandwich stuff. Why don't you go take a bath and I'll bring it to you."

Sam followed behind him and grabbed hold of his hand. Pulling him towards her, she lifted on to her toes and brushed a kiss across his lips. "Thank you. I doubt I could've made it through today without you."

"Well, you ain't gotta do anything without me. Not anymore." Daryl smiled down at Sam, that half-cocked smile that still caused butterflies in her tummy, and kissed her forehead. "Go on now. I'll get you something to eat."

It wasn't anything spectacular, wasn't an expensive cut of meat served at a five star restaurant, but to Sam, the ham and cheese sandwich he brought to her while she rested in the warm water was absolutely perfect. Hungrier than she thought, she inhaled the sandwich and managed to keep it down in spite of the wave of nausea that passed through her as the last bite was swallowed. Now, she was leaning forward in the bath while Daryl sat perched on the edge of the tub and washed her back. Her arms circled her knees, legs pulled up against her chest and chin balanced on top of her right kneecap as he soaped her back. When he was done, Sam let him pull her out of the tub and dry her off like a child, oddly thankful that Daryl was taking charge and she didn't have to focus on anything but him.

That night, as she laid curled up next to him, Daryl's arms wrapped protectively around her and his head buried in her hair, his breath warm against the back of her neck as he slept, Sam smiled in spite of everything. She smiled in the darkness, because at the end of the day she was in the arms of the man she loved more than anything else in the world. In her heart, she held onto the hope that her father would forgive her that he would come around and be there to walk her down the aisle and give her away to the love of her life and, most of all, that he would love the child that they welcomed in to the world.


	65. Chapter 65

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Premiere Night! Woooo! Trying to watch it livestream while at work and hoping that 911 doesn't ring until after 9:30! LOL This chapter is still in the past like the one last night. Tomorrow's post will be back in the Present!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The past: Friday, October 1st, 1999**  
_

Daryl woke to the stomach churning sound of someone vomiting, not just throwing up, but the deep gagging sound of someone retching and dry heaving. Throwing the covers off, he stumbled sleepily towards the sound in search of Sam, who was no longer in bed beside him. Standing in the doorway to the bathroom, he blinked against the bright light that reflected painfully against the stark white tile and stumbled forward until he was beside her. Daryl crouched down and reached over to pull back the thick locks of golden strands she was struggling to keep out of the toilet as she heaved in to the toilet; her stomach completely empty, but refusing to give up and call it quits.

"How long you been in here?" Daryl asked as Sam pulled back from the toilet and collapsed on her rear against the side of the bathtub. He stood while she collected herself, grabbed a washcloth and wet it, before returning to the floor next to her.

"Not long. Maybe fifteen minutes, I guess." Sam panted, trying to use deep breaths to calm yet another wave of nausea that washed over her once more as Daryl gently wiped the cool, wet cloth over her face. "I hate throwing up. It's the worst feeling ever."

"Come on, let's get you back to bed." Daryl tossed the cloth into the shower and helped Sam to her feet. Her normally golden tan skin looked sallow and the bluish semi-circles beneath her eyes seemed to have darkened throughout the night; he wondered how much sleep she had gotten, if any.

"We should go get your bike though." Sam eyeballed the clock on the dresser, noticing that sunrise wasn't too far off, which meant that Daryl would have to go to work soon. She prayed that her father hadn't went completely off the deep end and resorted to property damage last night upon realizing that Daryl had left his bike there.

"Nah, you need sleep. We can get it later." Daryl ushered Sam over to the bed, all the while hoping that his bike had managed to stay in one piece throughout the night.

"I'll come back and sleep." Sam sat down on the corner of the bed, but had no intention of actually crawling back in until she'd driven Daryl over to get his motorcycle. Daryl eyeballed her skeptically as he gathered up his work clothes. "I promise. We'll go over, you can go to work and I'll come back and rest. Scout's honor."

"You weren't no Scout." Daryl turned off the alarm that was about to go off and headed towards the bathroom. He knew Sam well enough at this point to know she wasn't going to back down. "Fine. We'll go."

Half hour later, Daryl pulled in to the Collins's driveway and gave a sigh of relief when he spotted his beloved bike sitting in the same place he'd left it the night before; no damage in sight. Crawling out of Sam's car, he walked around and opened the door for her. "You're going in, ain't you?" He nodded his head towards the house, where someone had just turned on the living room lights.

"I need to." Sam shrugged and leaned in to Daryl's embrace. "We've got a lot to talk about and maybe Dad's calmed down some by now. I doubt it, but I have to at least try."

"Aight. Don't stick around if he starts in on you like last night. You don't need that." Daryl kissed Sam gently before reluctantly pulling away and crawling on his bike. He wanted nothing more than to sweep her up, take her home and protect her from the disappointment and judgment from her family, but with a baby on the way and a family to support he couldn't take off. After putting on his helmet and kissing Sam goodbye once more, he made her promise to call him when she got home. "Get some rest. I love you."

Sam echoed the sentiment and stood in the driveway and watched Daryl as he backed out and headed towards work. Heading up the sidewalk, she looked through the keys on her ring and located the one for the front door and frowned when it wouldn't slide home. Crinkling her brow, she looked at the key chain again, noted that she in fact had the right key and tried again with the same failing results. Sam raised her hand to knock on the door when it suddenly opened and her mother stared out at her. "My key's not working for some reason." She informed Donna, the notion that her father changed the locks on her never registered in her mind.

"Your father had the locks changed last night." Donna murmured as she waved her arm to usher her daughter inside. She held her index finger to her lips briefly before pointing towards the upstairs landing to indicate that James was still sleeping. "Honey, I couldn't get him to listen to reason. I've never seen him this way."

"Daddy changed the locks? To keep me out?" Sam whispered, her chin trembling as she fought back a wave of tears. Never in a million years had she ever considered that her father was so upset with her that he would try to keep her out of her home. "Why does he hate me?"

"Oh, sweetie, he doesn't hate you. He hates the road you've decided to take, thinks you're throwing away your life." Donna put her arm around Sam's shoulder and steered her towards the kitchen. "I gave him a sleeping pill last night, so he should be out for a while longer, but we still need to be quiet."

"So this is it? This is my life now, huh?" Sam wearily sank down on to one of the kitchen chairs and stared blankly down at the table mat; picking at it idly as she tried to process what was going on. "I either choose Daddy or my baby and Daryl."

"Sam, honey, what your father said last night makes sense. You could go to your grandmother's until you have the baby, let one of your brothers adopt it. You know Josh and Rebecca would love to adopt your baby, honey. They tried so hard to get pregnant the past couple of years and never could, they'd be delighted to have a baby." Donna patted Sam on the hand, before taking hold of it. "There's no reason to throw your life away over a mistake."

"Getting pregnant was an accident, Mom, but my baby isn't a mistake." Sam raised her head and glared at her mother as she tried to resist the temptation to lash out with anger. She snatched her hand away from her mother and placed it protectively over the nonexistent bump on her flat belly. "I'm not pawning my baby, our baby, off on someone so I can run back to school and get on with my life."

"Well, we have some time before any decision has to be made." Donna ignored her daughter's comments, brushing them aside as the ramblings of a hormonal teenager who hadn't really taken the time to consider the implications of what she was saying, and stood up. "Have you eaten yet? You need to keep your strength up, baby girl."

"Yes ma'am, Daryl made me breakfast." Sam lied without giving it a second thought as she wanted to get out of her parents’ house and go home. She pushed back the chair and said, "I need to get some stuff from my room, before going to Daryl's house...er, home."

"Be quiet. No sense in getting your father all riled up again. Lord knows his heart can't take much more this week." Donna turned her back to Sam and pulled down a mug for her daily dose of coffee.

In her bedroom, she grabbed a suitcase and blindly started throwing in as many items as she could fit in to it. She was surprised her father hadn't demanded the Camaro back, but since he'd paid cash for it and put it in her name, there really wasn't much he could do legally; technically it was hers despite not paying for it. Sam grabbed the stuffed bear off her bed and hurried down the back stairs, wanting to get out of the house as soon as possible.

The house she had been brought home to from the hospital, the house she took her first steps in, learned to swim and play the piano in, the house that held all of her childhood memories, no longer felt like home to her.

Back at Daryl's, Sam wondered when she was going to start feeling like the little house was her home, too, as she lugged the massive suitcase up the stairs and into the kitchen. She shoved her suitcase in the corner of the bedroom, beside the duffle bag they'd hastily packed the night before, peeled off her jeans and crawled in to the center of the bed. On the drive over to her parents’ house, she had mentally planned a checklist of everything she needed to get done that day, but after dealing with her mother all she wanted to do was nap.

After explaining the situation to his boss, Daryl had actually managed to sweet talk Swain in to letting him come home on his lunch break to check on Sam. Inside the kitchen, he headed through the empty rooms towards the bedroom, not wanting to wake her up if she was asleep, but he needed to at least lay eyes on her before returning to work. Rounding the corner in to the hallway, he found the bedroom door open and tiptoed in to the room to find Sam curled up in a ball in the center of the bed.

Daryl watched her sleep for a few moments, before easing close enough so that he could cover her back up since she'd kicked off the majority of the blankets that were now strewn haphazardly across the bed. He had only intended to cover her up and let her rest, but the need to hold her outweighed reason. Daryl kicked off his dirty boots and slipped off the oil stained work shirt, letting both fall to the floor, and crawled on to the bed next to her. He only had an hour break, but he was intent on spending the majority of it with Sam in his arms.

Sleep had been fitful. Her mind was plagued by stress and overactive hormones, which made for a very unpleasant visit in to the land of dreams. Her eyes felt heavy, her limbs weak and her heart broken as her father's ugly words and angry expression taunted her. And then, her world was suddenly made better by the feel of Daryl's strong arms embracing her protectively and the feel of his body pressed against her back soothed the pain in her heart and mind. Smiling, lost in that hazy feel between being awake and sleeping, Sam snuggled deeper in to his hold. With her eyes closed, she whispered, "I'm glad you're here."

"Always will be."


	66. Chapter 66

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Previously in the Present: Sam broke down from the guilt she's been harboring over losing their baby. Daryl held her while she cried and thought that maybe they were on the road to repairing their relationship and moving forward, but Sam ended up telling him to leave the apartment and stay away from her, unless it was in regards to Jacey.**  
_

 

_**The present: Sunday, March 12th, 2012** _

 

"Michonne said my face had long since lost the battle." Rick explained as he ran a hand over the newly bare skin of his cheeks. It had taken the use of a pair of dull scissors he'd located in the kitchen before the thick hair of his beard had been manageable enough to use a razor. "About time, I reckon. Burns like hell though."

"I think you look handsome." Cassie peeked around a thick wave of dark hair and smiled gently at Rick as he rubbed the palm of his hand over his bare cheeks as though he was still adjusting to the lack of beard. She'd thought Rick was handsome in spite of the slightly crazed homeless look the thick brown pelt of his beard had given him, but seeing him fresh faced solidified the belief that he was a very attractive man. "I'll have to thank Michonne when I see her."

"She's feeling pretty pleased with herself. Tried to get me to shave it off back at the prison, just never got around to it." Rick chuckled at the memory of Michonne handing him the electric razor after she had returned from another failed attempt of locating the Governor; back before their lives had fallen apart yet again.

"I've heard she's doing a real good job with the security patrols." Cassie took a sip of water and tried to ignore Tyler, who was sitting across the room staring a hole through her. "Girls aren't usually allowed on patrol, even less likely to get a compliment about it. She and Sasha have done well on both accounts."

"They're tough. Very few people left in the world I'd trust at my back and they're definitely on the list." Rick tore a chunk off the piece of turkey on his plate and handed it over to Judith, who'd already polished off the ration he had given her when they sat down.

"Your face is going to get stuck like that, you know?" Cassie frowned at Daryl, who'd yet to eat the plate of food in front of him, choosing to scowl at it instead. She picked up a piece of meat and methodically started to shred it on top of the scoop of reconstituted mashed potatoes, preferring to mix her food in to one big lump before eating. "I'm guessing you should have taken my advice and left well enough alone last night, huh? How bad did it go?"

"Bad enough." Daryl glowered at Cassie beneath a swath of dark bangs and considered telling her to mind her own damn business. Reigning in his ornery mood, he picked up a turkey leg and peeled off the skin just for something to do. He wondered if Cassie knew about the guilt Sam had been harboring all these years in regards to losing Emily, but didn't want to mention it in front of everyone. Shrugging, he skipped over the majority of what had transpired between him and Sam. "Told me to leave her alone. Said it's too damn hard with me around, then booted my ass out the door."

"Oh, well, that's just great, Daryl." Cassie sighed as she shook her head at Daryl. What was it going to take to get these two to realize that the only place they belong is in each other's arms? Sheesh. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do nothing!" He didn't like having this conversation at the table with his family, let alone in the midst of a room full of people. Thankfully, a quick look out of the corner of his eye showed that the majority of the group appeared to be engulfed in their own conversation at the opposite end of the table, although Maggie was sitting next to him and he could tell by her stiffened spine that she was listening in despite her attempts to appear as though she wasn't. "Hell, it's probably for the best. Ain't never done nothing but screw shit up with Sam."

"The two of you are more stubborn than a set of mules. You know she broke up with Ryan, right?" Cassie asked, leaning forward so that her arms were resting on the table. At Daryl's shrug, she rolled her eyes and said, "Sam broke up with him because you're here. Duh. Get with the program and go fix things."

"Don't look at me for help." Rick said to Daryl with a shake his head and turned his attention back to his daughter, who was doing her best impression of a garbage disposal. "Cassie knows Sam better than I do, I'd listen to the lady."

"Clearly a smart man." Cassie hooked a thumb in Rick's direction, but didn't break eye contact with Daryl. "You do want to be with her, right? That's why you're here, isn't it?" Twelve years without him in her life had let the memory of how difficult it was to pull information out of Daryl fade away. Rolling her eyes at his silence, she stirred the pile of food on her plate and said, "Okay, so you don't want to talk about it, but know this...whatever reason you've decided to stick around, it's not going to get any better if you continue to sit around and sulk."

Just because Cassie was right didn't mean Daryl was going to give her the satisfaction of hearing him say so. His appetite had yet to make an appearance, so Daryl shoved the plate in Rick's direction so that Judith could partake in his leftovers, since she was clearly in the mood to devour everything in sight this afternoon. Crossing his arms over his chest, he slouched down in his seat and continued to sulk in Cassie's general direction just to annoy her a bit further. It wasn't long before he noticed a change in her posture, the way her attention was suddenly focused on a spot just over his shoulder and he knew that Sam had finally entered the room.

Sam didn't want to see Daryl. She had avoided breakfast and had intended to do the same with lunch, but her grumbling stomach and the insistent seven year old at her side demanded that she go inside the auditorium. Putting on a brave face, she let the door shut behind her after ushering Jacey into the room before her, using her as a human shield as though she could hide behind the scrawny child, her eyes instantly scanning the room for Daryl and landing on him as he ate lunch with his group.

After last night, she wanted to avoid both Daryl and Cassie and as they were sitting with one another, at least there was only one table she had to avoid. Of course, her plans were thwarted when Jacey took off at a sprint, weaving through the crowd to towards her brother. As she headed towards the table, Sam reached in to her back pocket and pulled out the folded piece of paper she'd shoved there before leaving the apartment; figuring she might as well take this moment to give Daryl the schedule she'd put together that morning.

"Sam said I can start staying over with you some. Is that true? You want me to stay over? Do I get my own room?" Jacey spit out her questions at a speed that only a hyper active child could manage. "Can I bring toys over there? Or do you already have some? When can I come over?"

"Jacey, sweetie, slow down. I think you're scaring Daryl." Sam smoothed a hand over her daughter's blonde hair and stood behind her, purposefully avoiding eye contact with her best friend and her ex-husband. Passing the slip of paper to Jacey, who knew what it contained, Sam let her present the schedule to Daryl instead of actually doing it herself and felt like a coward for doing so.

"See? She drew it out so you don't get confused and forget me." Jacey thrust the folded piece of paper out at her brother, who took it with a slightly bewildered expression as he opened it up to inspect what was written inside. "Is it okay? Did Sam make it right?"

"Yeah, it's good." Daryl looked up at Sam, waiting for her to step in and say something about the schedule, but when she continued to avoid him, he glanced back down at the scrap of paper before turning his attention back to Jacey. "So, Tuesday's and Thursday's?"

"Yuh-huh. And one weekend a month if you wanna!" Jacey nodded her head, causing her unruly ringlets to bounce about wildly. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of her best friend from school, who was waving her arm for Jacey to come join her. "I gotta go! Molly wants me to eat lunch with her." Flinging herself against Daryl, Jacey hugged her brother tightly before sprinting across the room towards her friend.

Sam mentally cursed as Jacey darted off and left her alone and overwhelmed. She froze in place momentarily, feeling like a deer in headlights as half the table looked at her expectantly. Somehow she managed to avoid making direct eye contact with Daryl and Cassie, and nodded her head in Rick's general direction as she mumbled a terse goodbye before turning on her heel and making a beeline towards the buffet line.

"Don't look like it's just me that's pissed her off." Daryl replied sarcastically as he gave Cassie a pointed look in regards to her high and mighty speech about making things right with Sam. "What'd you do?"

"Judged her unfairly." Cassie put down her fork and glanced over her shoulder to where Sam was helping Jacey fill a plate with food. While she had only meant to show her concern for Sam's well-being after the show, she had come off as a judgmental bitch and Sam had called her out on it, which she hadn't liked one bit. It had taken Cassie the rest of the night and most of the morning to realize that she had been in the wrong to confront Sam, and instead should have just offered a sympathetic shoulder to cry on. Pushing back from the table, she flashed Daryl a bright smile and said, "But at least I'm man enough to go apologize."

Daryl watched forlornly as Cassie stalked away from the table and wished he could muster up the courage to do the same, but the fear of rejection took over and kept him planted firmly in his seat. Rick's head swiveled around as Cassie sashayed past him and, as he turned back to face Daryl, couldn't hide the rosy blush of embarrassment on his cheeks now that he was lacking in the beard department. Daryl raised an eyebrow in question, but didn't verbalize his thoughts.

"She's nice." Rick pointed out as he turned his attention back to the plate of food and scooped a small pile of potatoes on to his fork to feed to Judith.

"Cassie's nice alright." Daryl replied sourly, his line of sight still focused on the voluptuous brunette that was halfway to her destination. He recalled the time he'd gotten woken up shortly after midnight by a call from the county jail, when he'd been summoned to collect an intoxicated Cassie who'd been picked up after getting in to a fight at a party. Apparently, someone had said something that didn't sit well with her and she'd hauled off and punched the man, giving him a broken nose and busted lip, before the cops had shown up. "Just don't piss her off."

Sam put the final touch on Jacey's plate, a scoop of green beans that the kid deplored, but was forced to eat. As she returned the spoon to the bowl, a flash of red caught her attention and she turned her head to find Cassie standing beside her. Sighing, she motioned for Jacey to go join her friends and muttered, "Not another lecture, please."

"I suck. Please forgive me." Cassie cracked a hopeful smile and batted her thick black eyelashes at Sam.

"You do suck. And, of course I forgive you." Sam shook her head and accepted the bear hug Cassie wrapped her in. When they pulled apart, Sam reached around Cassie and grabbed the plate, pitifully adorned with a tiny slice of meat and a roll, and motioned towards the table where some of her family was located. "Doubting you want to go sit with me since Tyler's over there, huh?"

"Very much trying to avoid your brother right now. Why don't you come back to the table with me?" Cassie hooked her arm through Sam's and nudged her in the direction of the table where Daryl was trying to appear as though he wasn't looking at them. "Rick shaved. Did you see?"

"Rick's nice, and handsome. Who knew underneath all that fur? I'm glad you're not sulking about Tyler, but I...I don't want to socialize with them. No more than I have to, okay?” Sam extracted her arm from Cassie's and took a step in the direction of her brother's. "I'm on a self-imposed no interacting with Daryl Dixon regimen from here on out. Why don't you just come by my place later?"

Cassie watched helplessly as Sam walked away and filled the empty seat next to Tyler without so much as a glance back at the best friend she'd left standing alone. She didn't know what had happened between Sam and Daryl the night before, but she fully intended to get one of them to talk about it. If she didn't know what happened, then she couldn't fix it. And, Cassie Delaney was like a dog with a bone when she wanted something...and she wanted her best friend, her sister in all accounts, to be happy and in love, like she used to be....


	67. Chapter 67

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to the Past again, this time for a little fluffiness.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Previously in the Past:**  
_ Sam found out she was pregnant and her parents had a less than stellar reaction to the news. She's moved in with Daryl.

 

_**The past: Friday evening, October 1st, 1999** _

When Daryl got home that night, he bounded up the carport stairs with an unusual amount of pep in his step, for which, he felt a twinge of guilt. The situation he and Sam were suddenly in wasn’t ideal, far from it actually, however he couldn’t help but feel that in the end it wasn’t too bad for him; he was getting to marry Sam and start a family with her, after all. He had never given two thoughts about settling down and starting a family before Sam, but now, Daryl couldn’t think of anything else. Although, he couldn’t help feeling as though Sam had drawn the short end of the stick…

Daryl found Sam in the kitchen, bent over the counter reading a magazine dressed only in one of his button down shirts, her golden tan legs left bare, as she shook her hips lightly along with the music video currently playing on the television. She looked up as he entered the room and greeted him with a smile that had his heart skipping a beat. After the last twenty four hours, it was nice seeing Sam happy. Noticing the spoon in her hand, oddly coated with something white and gooey with multicolored specks on it, he asked, “Whatcha eating?”

“Fruity Pebbles and marshmallow fluff. I had this craving for something sweet, so I went to the store after you left earlier. And, well, this happened.” Sam gestured towards the open box of cereal that she was dipping spoonfuls of marshmallow cream in to and giggled at the expression on Daryl’s face. “What? It’s good.”

“If you say so.” Sliding up behind Sam, Daryl wrapped his arms around her waist and looked over her shoulder at the open magazine spread out in front of her. He fully expected it to be something girly like fashion or celebrity gossip, but was surprised when he realized it was a bridal magazine. After pushing aside a handful of her hair, Daryl leaned in to nuzzle Sam’s neck while murmuring against the soft skin, “You really gonna marry me then?”

“Thinking about it.” Sam retorted playfully as she turned around in his arms and slid her arms up around his neck. “Although, highly doubting my daddy is going to volunteer to pay for a wedding. Heck, doubt I could even get him to walk me down an aisle now.” She tried to keep the sadness in her heart from creeping in to her voice, but failed miserably at the thought of not having her father on her arm as she walked down the aisle.

“So, we go to the courthouse and get hitched.” Daryl hated the sadness on Sam’s face, but knew it was more to do with the situation with her family than the prospect of a courthouse wedding, or so he hoped. After hearing how well the visit with her parents went this morning, finding out her father had changed the locks after they’d left last night, Daryl had wondered the rest of the day how long they were going to punish Sam for being pregnant and refusing to obey their wishes about how to handle the situation. “We’ll do a big wedding later, when you’re family gets their heads out of their asses.”

“We could be waiting forever for that to happen.” While she had dreamed about the perfect wedding since she was five years old, the reality of not getting the ceremony she had planned wasn’t nearly as upsetting as not having her family present when she got married.

“They’ll come around.” Or, at least he hoped they would. The last thing Daryl wanted was to come between Sam and her family, he knew how important they were to her. But, at the end of the day, he fully intended to marry Sam no matter how her family felt about it. So long as Sam wanted to, that is. “Marry me? We can go Monday, I’ll call Swain and take off.”

A slow smile spread across Sam’s face as she mulled over Daryl’s offer and came to a decision. “Let’s do it.” She paused to momentarily take hold of the jumble of thoughts in her mind and was about to ask if he minded if she at least got word to her parents about the plans, when his lips crashed down upon hers. Instantly distracted, Sam tightened her hold on Daryl and pulled their bodies closer together, barely a whisper could penetrate the space between them.

She tasted like sugar, sweeter than normal and her lips were sticky with marshmallow cream. It was something he’d never had before, having never been a fan of marshmallows, but on Sam’s lips he’d gladly partake in the sugary substance. Tugging her forward he pressed his obvious desire against her and tightened his hold on her waist when she moaned against his lips. He needed to take a shower, he was covered in grime and oil from work, but the only thing on his mind was burying himself in Sam and he hoped she didn’t mind his current unclean state. 

A slow burn started to build in the pit of her tummy, a welcome change from the constant nausea she’d dealt with lately. Moaning against Daryl’s lips, Sam slipped her hands beneath his shirt and started easing it up, running her hands over the warmth of his skin as the material slid upwards. It had been weeks since she’d been in his arms, a whole month since she’d felt his skin against hers and she ached for him desperately. His hands tightened at her waist and lifted her up so that she was sitting on the edge of the counter.

Daryl eased Sam back on to the kitchen counter, her thighs pressed tightly around his waist as he lowered her carefully onto the cool surface. He tried to possess a modicum of self-control as he tugged open the buttons on the shirt one by one, and managed to do so with only a slight shake to his hands and eagerness in his movements. As much as he liked the sight of Sam in his shirt, the sight of her without it was a better one and he relished the vision before him; her honey colored skin a stark contrast to the blackness of the shirt that was splayed open around her.

Sam’s skin sizzled beneath the touch of Daryl’s roughly calloused hands as they skimmed upwards over her trembling belly to cup her breasts; the coarse texture of his palms caused her nipples to wake up and tighten with excitement. Her hands slid into his hair, cut shorter since the last time they’d seen one another, and tangled in the thick locks when he dipped his head over to kiss, lick, and nibble along the contours of her stomach. When he hooked his thumbs around the edge of her lavender panties, Sam obediently lifted her hips so that he could slide them off her body. She watched hungrily, eyes sparkling with desire, as he deftly unhooked the buckle of his black leather belt and freed his hardened length from its confines; it thrust out towards her, thick and glistening on the tip. Emboldened, Sam reached out for him, wrapped her small hand around the shaft and guided him towards her opening.

“Condom.” Daryl choked out, his voice coarse and heavy with desire; momentarily forgetting that there was no need to use protection against pregnancy anymore. He watched, entranced, as Sam grinned up at him wickedly and used the heel of her foot to put force against his buttocks so that she could slide his shaft inside her tight, moist heat.

“No need for condoms now.” Sam whispered hotly against Daryl’s cheek when he leaned over, sliding into her in one fluid motion to bury deep inside; settling himself home. Without the barrier of protection, she felt every ridge of his manhood, felt the velvety smoothness of him moving in and out of her, felt closer to him than she ever had before.

Her legs tightened around his waist, her feet rested on the swell of his buttocks, as he dove in to her, fell in to Sam with wild abandoned. Her tight walls squeezed him, her heat searing him, as they moved together as one; coupling together in a dance as old as time. Daryl kissed down the delicate curve of her neck, nipped at the skin just above her collarbone, and licked along the hollow of her neck and back up the smooth column until he could once again capture her lips with his own. He slipped his tongue inside to caress hers as he slowly slid his shaft inside her; filling her body with two pieces of himself.

Sam moved her hands from Daryl’s shoulders to grasp the counter just above her head, holding herself in place against the onslaught of movement from his hips as he sped up; his climax on the horizon. She cradled him with her thighs, coaxed him along as they tumbled over the wall together to shudder passionately in one another’s arms. Daryl’s head was buried against her neck, his breath hot and moist against her skin, as they both struggled to catch their breath. After a few moments, Daryl leaned up and kissed her deeply, his tongue thrusting inside her mouth to devour her and Sam felt his softening member twitch inside her. When he’d pulled away from her, leaving her thoroughly debauched and with kiss swollen lips, Sam eased up on to her elbows and watched him with a wicked smile as he discretely tried to clean himself up. It was then, that she realized one of the upsides to condoms that no one had ever had the decency to explain to her…the aftermath of sex was a hell of a lot cleaner when you used one. Scrunching her nose in distaste, feeling the warmth of what Daryl left behind slipping from her body, Sam slid from the counter and started to hobble towards the bathroom, all the while muttering her horror. “Definitely going to need a thorough cleaning of the kitchen now.”

Chuckling at Sam’s good-natured complaints, Daryl chucked his boots and discarded the rest of his clothes as he followed her in to the bathroom; already hearing the shower running. Climbing in to the shower behind her, he reached for the soap at the same time she did, but managed to snatch it away first. Rubbing it between his hands, Daryl sat the bar back on the holder and slid his hands down between her legs, soaping Sam’s inner thighs first, before sliding further north to caress the delicate folds of her sex. She leaned back against him, her body slick next to his, and covered his hands with hers to help him clean her body. Daryl felt himself harden, almost painfully so, as though he hadn’t just been pulled from deep inside her walls. He wanted to resist the temptation to slip inside her once more, but when Sam pushed back against him and wiggled her hips suggestively, Daryl pushed aside all of his resistance.

Her body craved him, ached for his touch, demanded the feel of him buried inside her body and Sam was a slave to her desires. She leaned forward to brace her hands against the shower wall and arched against him as Daryl slid home; filling her body with his hardened length, inch by inch. Her moans echoed off the tiled walls as he pulled every remaining ounce of passion from her body, her fingernails scraped against the cool wall as she cried out and arched against him with desire, and her legs trembled as he came inside her with a deep groan.

Later, after they’d completed their shower and were sprawled out on the couch together while waiting for the pizza to be delivered, Daryl’s hands rested on top of Sam’s stomach and he looked at her with happiness shining in the indigo pools of his eyes. “Can’t believe there’s a baby in there.”

“Well, it’s just a tiny little nugget right now. Probably only this big,” Sam held her thumb and index apart by an inch, or less. That’s when she remembered that she had actually accomplished one item on her to-do list that afternoon. “Oh! I called Lindy and got the name of an obstetrician over in Macon, Dr. Summers, and made an appointment. It’s next Friday morning, at nine. We’ll actually get to see the little nugget. Think you can come?”

“Can’t keep me away.” Daryl ghosted his hand over the flat plane of her stomach once more and in his mind, and in his heart, made a promise to his child that he would be the best father in the world. Right then and there, he made an oath to never treat his child the way his parents had treated him, to never lay a hand on them and to always love them, no matter what.


	68. Chapter 68

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Previously in the Past:**  
_ Fluffy sex on the kitchen counter after Sam officially accepted Daryl's marriage proposal.

 

_**The past: Friday, October 8th, 1999** _

The week had not gone as they had anticipated, the plans they had designed on Friday lasting only until Sunday afternoon. That was when Sam’s mother had called to inform her that Bo was off on Monday and thus, driving her back to school in his truck to clean out her dorm room. The day had been long, full of silence and awkward tension, but by that evening Sam was officially moved in to the house that she would now share with Daryl. After that slight change of plans, they had decided to hold off on the trip to town hall to get married until Cassie could be there with them as their witness, seeing as how she was the only one that hadn’t completely flipped their lid and turned their backs on Sam upon hearing her announcement. So, if everything went as planned, they’d be officially married later that afternoon.

Now, Sam and Daryl were waiting anxiously in one of the pastel colored rooms at the obstetrician’s office. Sam watched as Daryl inspected every corner of the room, inquisitively eyeballed the diagrams posted on the walls and poked curiously at the model of a pregnant uterus so hard that the fake baby fell out and clattered to the table. She laughed at the guilty expression on his face as the hard plastic baby landed on the metal desk with a loud bang; her laughter only intensifying as he tried to finagle the baby back inside the uterus and failed.

Daryl shoved the plastic model of the reproductive system aside, pushed it to the back of the desk and hoped that the doctor wouldn’t bring up the fact that it had been dismantled. While he remembered health class and how pregnancy worked, seeing the model of the upside down fake baby crammed inside such a small organ was freaking him out a little bit. He crossed the room to stand next to Sam once more and couldn’t help but look down at her flat tummy, her petite frame and wonder how in the hell a baby was going to not only grow inside of her, but eventually be born.

“You okay? You’re looking a little weird.” Sam raised a hand and wiggled her fingers in the direction of his face, which was looking quite freaked out. Suddenly worried that maybe being in this office, surrounded by diagrams of birth and pictures of newborns, might be to blame, she clutched at one of his hands and worriedly asked, “You’re not having second thoughts are you?”

“What?” Daryl’s reply was distracted as his mind was otherwise occupied with the grotesque image of his baby being squished during birth, because in his mind Sam was far too narrow…down there…to give birth. Glancing back up to Sam’s face, pulling his troubled gaze away from her abdomen, he tried again, “Second thoughts? No, ‘course not. I just...the birth thing, it’s just…you know?”

“Gross, disgusting, painful, icky?” Sam echoed the worries that plagued her own mind and smiled when Daryl nodded, letting her know that they shared similar concerns. Leaning forward to look past him at the model he’d dismantled, she pointed at it and said, “That’s weird, like to the point I don’t even want to think about it. But,” Sam leaned back and pointed at the opposite wall to where the doctor had a corkboard full of pictures of babies she’d delivered over the years and their smiling, happy parents, “once it’s all over, we’ll have one of those. And, that’s not so bad, right?”

“Ain’t bad at all.” Daryl murmured as he gazed at the board full of babies while Sam stroked her hand over the back of his reassuringly. Glancing back down at Sam, he lifted the corner of his mouth as he lowered his head and captured her lips in a kiss.

The angle was awkward, but that didn’t hinder them. Daryl’s hand slid up to rest at the base of her neck, cupping it gently as he pulled her towards him and deepened their embrace. The front of the paper gown she had already changed in to gaped open as Sam twisted at a better angle to grope at his waist and clench her hands in the soft material of his shirt. She whimpered in his arms, moaned in to his kiss, and tugged insistently at his shirt as all reasoning left her brain and she paid no attention to the fact that they were in a doctor’s office. That is, until the gentle click of a door closing along with the subtle clearing of a throat caught their attention. Jumping apart guiltily, Sam felt the heat of embarrassment creep in to her cheeks as she discretely wiped at the moisture on her lips. Hastily readjusting her gown, Sam considered crawling underneath the table she was sitting on and dying of mortification. “I am so sorry.”

“No need to apologize.” Dr. Elaine Summers smiled politely as she took a seat on the padded rolling stool and scooted forward until she was just in front of her new patient. Offering out her hand, she shook Sam’s hand before moving on to Daryl, who was hovering protectively at her side. “Nice to meet you both. So, Sam, how have you been feeling?”

“Nauseous, tired, nauseous some more.” She failed to mention the surge in her hormone’s lately, the continuous ache between her legs that led her to seek out Daryl at all hours of the day. Twisting her hands together nervously, she blinked at the doctor out of sheer confusion as to what to do next as she had yet to visit even a gynecologist in her lifetime, much less an obstetrician.

“No need to be anxious.” Elaine patted her patient on the knee reassuringly before looking down at the folder on her lap and noticed the lack of information on it, other than personal information and the positive results from the urine test. “So, no checkup before now? You’ve not had a yearly exam or anything after becoming sexually active?”

“No, ma’am. I, uh, I meant to do it when I got back to school after we, uh…you know, had sex, but I just kept forgetting to schedule it.” Sam shoved her hands between the padded table and her thighs to keep from fidgeting. “You see, Daryl…he’s my first, I mean, he’s the only one I’ve been with…and that was just a couple of months ago.”

“I see.” She scribbled the notation in the file and put the folder onto the cart next to her. “Ok, well, we’ll do a quick check up and run some blood work, just to make sure you’re healthy. Then, we’ll do an ultrasound, see how far along you are.”

Daryl stood by, feeling more out of place and awkward with each passing moment, but the nervous expression in Sam’s eyes kept him right beside her, holding her hand tightly while the doctor inspected her lady parts. Finally, the routine checkup was complete and blood was drawn and they could finally move on to the sonogram. He watched with rapt attention as the doctor squirted clear jelly on Sam’s trembling stomach and rubbed a wand like contraption over the top of the substance, which transferred an image up on to the screen of the sonogram station. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the odd image on the screen, the strange black and white blobs didn’t make sense to him, but he knew what they were.

“And, this right here,” Dr. Summers smiled as she pointed to a small object on the screen, no larger than a blueberry, “is your baby.”

“That is? But it’s just so teensy tiny.” Sam couldn’t help the tears that leaked out of the corners of her eyes and rolled across her face. Grinning with happiness, she lifted Daryl’s hand to her mouth and pressed her lips against the back of it in a gentle kiss.

“I’m going to put you at about seven weeks along judging by the size.” Elaine used a paper towel to wipe the goop off of Sam’s belly, wadded it up and tossed it in to the wastebasket. “And, I didn’t hear a heartbeat, which isn’t abnormal at this point in the pregnancy. We should definitely be able to hear it on your next visit.”

Back in the car, Sam couldn’t take her eyes off the sonogram picture she held in her hands. The doctor had been generous enough to give them two copies and she intended to get one to her parents, in hopes that seeing it might help alleviate some of the tension between them. Surely, grandparents got all mushy at the sight of their grandchild, right?

“You hungry? We got plenty of time to stop somewhere. Don’t gotta be up at the courthouse ‘til three.” Daryl’s fingers wove between Sam’s when she finally laid down the pictures, letting them rest in her lap. He recalled what she had declared breakfast, the pitiful meal of marshmallow fluff and toast. “You didn’t eat much of nothing this morning.”

“I could eat tacos.” Sam spied the sign for one of the fast food chains she’d grown accustomed to eating while at school and motioned towards it. “Tacos, and maybe some nachos, and hot sauce…lots of hot sauce.”

“Don’t sound like the best idea, babe. Not with the way you’ve been sick and all.” With one look from Sam, a quick cutting of her eyes in his direction, he conceded and pulled over at the restaurant. It was a place he’d seen on television, but hadn’t eaten at since he wasn’t a huge fan of Mexican food, but after glancing at the food on another customer’s tray he realized it wasn’t exactly the traditional Mexican fare he remembered.

“So good.” Sam exclaimed around a mouthful of nachos, loaded with extra cheese and black olives. On her tray alone was the largest order of nachos, a couple of tacos, a small burrito and a bag of cinnamon sugar twisty things.

Daryl simply glanced over at her loaded tray and kept the comments about the quantity to himself, knowing full well that Sam ate more than any NFL linebacker and that was when she wasn’t pregnant. When he was done eating the two tacos he’d ordered, he gathered up their trays and tossed the wrappers in the garbage. After doing so, he walked over to the table and held a hand out to Sam, “Time to get hitched, unless you wanna run?”

“Oh, no, you’re not getting rid of me that easy.” Sam let him pull her to her feet and plastered herself against him once she was standing. Tilting her head back, she looked up at Daryl and smiled. “Gotta have someone to get me food when I’m a Fatty McFat in a few months.”

“You ain’t gonna be fat, you’re gonna be beautiful.” Feeling like a sentimental sap, he kissed her forehead before pulling her towards the door. “But I’ll still get you food.”

“And that’s all a girl can ask for.” Sam giggled and quickened her pace to match Daryl’s, her heart soaring at the excitement and happiness that radiated off of him. Once they were settled back in to the car and heading towards Collins, she turned and asked, “You sure you don’t have someone you want to invite? Merle? A friend? Someone?”

“Nah, got everyone I need with me.” Daryl glanced over to the passenger seat long enough to flash Sam with the halfcocked smile that drove her insane, before turning his attention back to the road. While he had considered inviting his brother, he had no doubt that Merle would’ve just caused a scene or done something to further embarrass him, so he’d returned the phone to the cradle before even dialing the phone. Merle had managed to talk their former landlord in to letting him rent the mobile home again, once he’d paid up for the rent he’d lapsed on while in jail, and seemed to have the intention of sticking around this time, but only a week had passed so Daryl doubted it would be long before his brother disappeared again.

“You know, I’ve met your brother and I obviously know your boss, but I’ve never met any of your friends. Surely you’ve got someone out there, someone from your childhood or a best friend hanging around?” Sam lightly ran her hand over Daryl’s forearm, idly tracing her fingers over the light hairs scattered across his skin. She glanced at him hopefully, wondering if maybe he’d finally share something in regards to his past with her. Instead, Daryl glanced over at her as he shrugged and said, “Ain’t got anyone else…just you and Merle. I dunno, I guess you’re my best friend?”

The rest of the drive was fairly quiet. Sam let the conversation drop about Daryl inviting someone to their wedding. His words about not having anyone else in his life other than her and Merle broke her heart and it pained her to know that even her family wanted nothing to do with him. Although, one glance down at the picture in her lap gave Sam a flutter of hope that Daryl would finally have the family he deserved.

When they pulled in to the parking lot at town hall, Sam smiled when she spotted Cassie standing on the stairs with her arms full of flowers and a dress. Curiosity wrinkled her brow as she climbed out of the car and headed up the stairs to where Cassie was standing. “What on earth did you bring?”

“Well, I couldn’t have my daughter get married in jeans, could I?” Donna Collins stepped out from behind the column and gave Sam a watery smile. She wrapped her arms around her surprised daughter and pressed a kiss to her cheek before pulling back. “Your father refused to come, I’m sorry.”

“I’m glad you’re here at least.” Sam wiped at the tears that seemed to be ever present in her eyes and smiled at her mother. Holding up a finger, she stuck her hand in to her purse and pulled out the sonogram image she’d stuck in there to show Cassie. Instead, she held it out to her mother and said, “We made sure to get an extra copy for you. That little blob there’s your grandbaby.”

Donna Collins felt her normally calm demeanor slip away as she studied the image in her hands. Beaming with happiness she didn’t know she would possess during this situation, she pressed a hand over her heart and said, “Oh, sweetheart! Thank you for thinking about us. After the way I acted, I don’t deserve your generosity.”

“You’re my mom. I love you.” Sam fell in to her mother’s arms and allowed tears of happiness to slip from her eyes finally. She felt as though they were making a step in the right direction, baby steps, but at least progress was being made. Pulling back, she wiped at her cheeks and announced, “Let’s go get married!”


	69. Chapter 69

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks a bunch for the reviews and kudos!!!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_**The past: Friday, October 8th, 1999** _

“Does it look okay?” Sam smoothed down the front of the dress her mother had brought from the house as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. The pale lilac sheath dress with a white lace overlay had once belonged on stage during an Easter performance at church a couple of years ago, but now it would have to suffice as her wedding dress. Glancing over her shoulder at Cassie, she added with a wry smile, “Not exactly a wedding dress.”

“I think it’s perfect. You look beautiful.” Cassie handed over the white flats she’d held on to while Sam changed and took the flip flops she’d had on in return. “I still can’t believe this is real life. You’re getting married, having a baby…it’s so whoa, you know?”

“Oh, trust me, I know! Hey, you said we were failing at the fling thing. We have definitely messed up the summer fling plan.” Sam slipped on the flats, before leaning in closer to the mirror to apply the dusty rose lipstick Cassie handed her. “It’s weird, but I’m not freaking out anymore. Isn’t that strange?”

“You’d have to lock me up in a mental institution if I were in your situation, but then again, I have no intentions of getting married or pregnant. You? You’re made for this stuff.” Cassie stuffed the clothes Sam took off in to a duffle bag and slid the strap over her shoulder. “All this ‘til death do us part, lovey-dovey stuff gives me hives just thinking about it, but you’ve been planning your wedding for as long as I’ve known you.”

“Exactly. Wedding ceremony, with a church and bridesmaids…not this, but I think I’m ok with it.” Sam fluffed her hair once more before turning to leave the bathroom, following closely at Cassie’s heels. She reached out to take hold of Cassie’s hand and tugged her to a stop. “I’m glad you’re here with me. Let’s face it, there’s no one else in the world I’d rather have as my maid of honor.”

“Hey, and this way I don’t have to wear some tacky dress that will haunt my closet for years.” Cassie pulled her hand back from Sam’s and enveloped her in a bear hug, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek before releasing her. “When your mom showed up after I did, I was honest to goodness expecting some huge scene. I’m happy she’s here for you, too. I know you’ve got to be having a hard time with the fallout from all this, with your family and all.”

“Like Daryl said, we’ll do the small ceremony now and maybe, whenever my dad and brothers remove their heads from their asses, we can do a big wedding later.” Sam held the door open for Cassie. “Guess it’s time, huh?”

“Unless you’ve decided to split? We can pull a Thelma and Louise, minus the dying obviously.” Cassie motioned towards the fire exit down the hall while flashing a grin towards an unsuspecting Daryl, who was waiting at the other end of the hall with Sam’s mother. Hooking her free arm through Sam’s, she lowered her voice and said, “Nah, better not. Daryl looks like the kind that would track us down, throw you over his shoulder and carry you home. Although, that could be hot.”

“Mind, out of gutter, please.” Sam laughed and let Cassie lead her down the hallway towards Daryl, who was staring a hole through her as she headed his way. She cut a glance out of the corner of her eye and grinned mischievously, while adding, “But, yeah, that could be hot.”

He’d been waiting for Sam and Cassie to return from the bathroom for a while now and, for a brief moment, thought about sticking his head in the room just to check on things since he was worried that maybe she may have become ill after the hot sauce drenched lunch she’d inhaled, but had decided against doing so. Instead, he’d been out there with Sam’s mother doing the most tension filled, awkward hallway waiting he’d ever done. Daryl could attempt at small talk that Donna was trying to ply him with, but knew that she was strictly following her Southern upbringing and being polite, as she always had with him. It was a half a second after he revisited his thoughts on going in to the bathroom to check on Sam, that she finally appeared.

To him, Sam was always beautiful, but today, as she walked towards him wearing the dress her mother had brought for her, she was radiant. He wished he could have given her the ceremony she deserved, a chance to wear a stunning wedding gown and walk down the aisle on the arm of her father and hoped that one day her family could get past their differences with him to be able to give all that to Sam. Daryl wanted to give her everything in the world, even the world itself, if doing so would mean her happiness and that luminous smile on her face.

Donna’s eyes teared up at the sight of her daughter walking down the hallway towards them, beautiful in the lilac and lace dress, and holding the bouquet of multicolored flowers the florist had been able to put together on such short notice. Her golden locks fell past her shoulders in gentle waves and the smile on her face was luminous, but couldn’t outshine the happiness that sparkled in her green eyes. It was there, in the marble hallway with people scurrying about trying to get licenses renewed or property taxes dealt with, that she finally allowed her eyes to see the love between Sam and Daryl. She pushed aside all of her upper crust prejudices, all of her misconceptions about Daryl, and saw just how much they loved one another and wondered why it took her this long to accept the truth. As Sam skipped the last few steps across the foyer to fall in to Daryl’s arms with a smile so big her face could barely contain it, Donna quickly shoved a hand in her purse and dug around until she found the pack of tissues she always had on hand. Pulling one out, she dabbed at the tears of happiness that stung in her eyes and gathered her composure.

“Ok, ok, y’all can make out later. Let’s get this show on the road.” Cassie waved her hands in the direction of the judge’s office where they’d be getting married. “Judge Bremen’s been in there waiting for half an hour already, I’m sure he’d like to get his weekend started.”

As much as Cassie Delaney liked to play the role of the hard-ass that didn’t believe in love or marriage, underneath all that brash exterior lay the heart of a true romantic. The only reason she put up such a harsh demeanor was because she was tired of getting her heart broken, but seeing the honest to goodness true love that Sam and Daryl shared caused a tug at her heartstrings and the fleeting hope that one day she’d find something as real as what they had together.

Inside the judge’s chambers, the one who she hoped didn’t remember catching her in the backseat of his youngest son’s car a couple years back, she sat the duffle bag by the door and crossed the room to stand next to Sam and Daryl while the informal ceremony was about to begin; playing the role of maid of honor, witness and photographer, since Donna had dissolved in to a weeping mess when she’d seen Sam dressed for the wedding.

“Samantha James Collins?” Judge Harold Bremen peered over the top of his eyeglasses at the young lady in front of him and finally recognized her. Glancing over the couple to where Donna Collins was standing, wiping the tears from her eyes, his eyes grew round. “Big Jim’s little girl? My goodness, you’re the last one I expected to see in my chambers today.” Reading Sam’s expression correctly, he chose to avoid the awkward conversation as to why they were getting married by him and not in the church the Collins family attended, and moved on, “Alright then, let’s get this paperwork taken care of first.”

“I, Samantha, take you, Daryl, to have and to hold, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health. I promise to love, honor and cherish you,” Sam’s voice trembled with emotion as she said her vows to Daryl, their hands clasped tightly together and eyes connected. “Till death do us part.”

“I, Daryl, take you, Sam, to have and to hold, for, um, richer and poorer, sickness and in health. I promise to love, honor and cherish you,” He’s voice shook, stuttered about, as he tried to repeat the vows that Sam had spoken with confidence. But, the last part, that Daryl spoke with conviction, because only his death could keep him from loving Sam. “Till death do us part.”

“Do we have rings?” Harold looked at the couple expectantly and frowned slightly when they both shook their heads indicating that they didn’t have rings, and was about to move forward in the ceremony when Donna Collins piped up.

“Here! I’ve got the rings.” Donna dug in her purse for the blue velvet ring case she’d honestly forgotten she had grabbed at the last minute before leaving the house; figuring that Sam and Daryl wouldn’t have any. While handing it over, she explained to Sam with a smile, “They were mine and your father’s, we replaced them on our anniversary last year. I, well, I wasn’t sure y’all had any and didn’t want there not to be rings.”

“Mom, that’s so sweet. Thank you.” Sam removed her hands from Daryl’s long enough to give her mother a hug and take the ring set from her; a simple gold band for each of them. She handed the thinner of the bands to Daryl and held on to the one for him.

“With this ring, I thee wed,” Sam repeated the Judge’s words and tried to keep her hands calm enough to slide the gold band on Daryl’s ring finger. It was too big, but that could be remedied if her mother didn’t mind them doing so.

“With this ring, I thee wed,” The corner of his mouth lifted, smiling as he slid the thin gold band on Sam’s finger; it fit beautifully, as though it was meant to be on her finger. Holding both of her hands in his, Daryl waited as patiently as possible for the judge to give him permission to kiss his wife.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife.” Judge Bremer declared, barely getting the words out of his mouth before Daryl pulled Sam into a deep kiss. Chuckling, since he was a little too late for the next part of the ceremony, he added, “You may now kiss your bride.”


	70. Chapter 70

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos and reviews!!!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Previously in the Present:**  
_ It was the day after Sam got drunk at the welcome concert, leading Cassie to be a bit too judgmental and a fight between Daryl and Sam. Cassie has apologized for what happened that night and Rick shaved!

 

The present: Monday, March 25th, 2012

Crossing the field that separated the town hall from the thicket of woods at the edge of town, Daryl climbed the short stack of concrete stairs that led up to the platform the hunters dropped of their daily kill to be cleaned. He'd done fairly well today, hauling back a selection of woodland creatures, but had managed to break a bolt, which meant his supply was dwindling and in need of being replaced. While the town had the supplies, what had been collected from the Collins's hunting store as well as scavenging runs, Daryl wanted to hold off on going to the building that housed the selection since it was monitored by Bo, whom he wanted to associate with as little as possible. However, after today's breakage, the inevitable was going to happen soon.

After Daryl handed over his bounty, he was turning to leave when the dulcet sounds of Sam's voice floated through the open doors that led to the auditorium. He stopped in his tracks and listened to her play the piano, letting the melodic sounds of the music she had created wash over him, while trying to muster up the courage to make yet another attempt at trying to carry on an actual conversation with her.

Two weeks had come and gone since the night they had argued, the night Sam had fallen apart in his arms over the guilt that plagued her since Emily's death, when she had clung to him and sobbed against his chest only moments before declaring it too difficult to be near him and tossing him out on to the sidewalk. Since that night, Sam only spoke when spoken to, rarely made eye contact and went out of her way to avoid him. Her demeanor could only be described as cordial when forced into interacting with him, but the majority of her time appeared to be spent avoiding him like the plague.

Daryl's attention was pulled from the sound of Sam's voice, and the skill of her fingers on the keys of the piano, when he had the sudden feel of someone watching him. Turning his head away from the open doors, Daryl scanned the area until his line of sight landed on the picnic table at the far end of the landing, to where Jim Collins was watching him like a hawk.

Jim slid his legs out from beneath the concrete picnic table, where he had been discussing supply amounts and scavenging runs with a few of the other elder town members who made up the council, and started towards Daryl; who had already sensed he was being watched and was attempting to make a quick exit. Not as fast as he had once been in his youth, Jim waved down his daughter's estranged husband and called out, "Daryl, hold up a moment."

Mentally cursing himself for pausing at hearing his name, Daryl stopped in his tracks and glanced over his shoulder; peeking out at Sam's father beneath a thick swatch of dark bangs. He had managed to make it just over three weeks being in town without having to deal with the patriarch of the Collins family, only muttering a greeting or acknowledging the man's presence when he was with Jacey, not wanting to be rude to the man she obviously thought hung the moon. Eyeballing Jim as he neared, Daryl cautiously replied, "Yeah?"

"Glad I finally got you alone for a minute. You're a difficult fella to pin down." Jim's cheeks were flushed red and his breathing hindered, a sign of just how much he had aged in the past twelve years. Of course, less than stellar eating habits, drinking more whiskey than reasonably allowed and smoking copious amounts cigars before the outbreak, despite his ailing heart, played a significant part in his current state of health. "You mind if I take a moment of your time?"

"Yeah, alright." Daryl muttered, not entirely trusting of the man in front of him from previous experiences, no matter how many times Jacey sang his praises and Sam promised that her father had changed over the years. He followed Sam's father down the hallway, past where she was tucked away behind the maroon curtain on stage singing her heart out, through the auditorium and all the way back to his office; where he took a seat in the chair that was indicated for him. Narrowing his eyes as Jim took a seat, his natural tendency to keep people at arm's length with his abrasive personality took over. "You got som'thin you wanna say to me?"

"No need to get defensive, son." Jim assured Daryl, after seeing the distrust in his gaze and the coarse growl of his voice. "Not that I blame you for being that way though. I was...well, I was a son of a bitch back before you left back then."

"That's one way to spin it." Daryl lifted a hand to his mouth and proceeded to chew on the edge of his thumbnail, a gesture that he resorted to when he was nervous or agitated, and couldn't be tamed.

"I've noticed you and Sam haven't been talking for the past couple weeks." Jim said suddenly, causing Daryl to stop gnawing on his thumb and glare at him wordlessly. Shrugging, he continued, "I've also been told to keep my nose out of the whole situation, by my wife. She says that whatever is going on is between you and Sam, and is none of my business."

"Nothin' going on between us and no, it ain't none of your business." Daryl grumbled, annoyed at being hauled in to Jim's office to discuss topics that had nothing to do with the man, but, then again, he had always insinuated himself in to anything involving Sam and that clearly hadn't changed. Scooting to the edge of the seat, Daryl prepared to stand up and leave, but first added, "You ain't gotta worry. You're precious Sam ain't slumming again."

"Daryl, sit down. I didn't ask you in here to argue, that's not my intentions." Jim motioned with his hand for Daryl to sit down and leaned over to pull out the bottom drawer of his desk, when he remembered that there wasn't any whiskey in there. "Well, hell, I'd offer you a drink, but Tyler and Sam drank it all."

"Might wanna lock it up next time. Sam ain't exactly a pleasant drunk." Daryl returned to the seat, sliding down so that his legs stretched out and nearly touched the desk. "What'd you haul me in here for anyhow?"

"I see the way you look at her. You're still in love with Sam, aren't you? Ah, hell, one look and anyone can see you are." Jim mimicked Daryl's pose as much as he could, his old bones not able to assume the laid back position as well as Daryl could. "What are your plans? With Sam?"

"Don't got no plans with Sam. Not that it's any business of yours." Glancing away from Jim's gaze, he studied the photographs that lined the shelf and smiled softly at the sight of the one with Sam and Jacey at the beach. He lifted a shoulder slightly, shrugging as nonchalantly as possible. "Don't really matter none anyhow, she don't want nothing to do with me."

"Hogwash." Jim snorted and shook his head. Leaning forward, he put his forearms on the desk and studied Daryl. Although he'd spent the majority of time that Sam and Daryl had been involved ignoring the fact that they loved one another as much as they did, he had come to realize it later in life when all he could do was regret the decisions he'd made in the first place. "Sam, she walks around like she's strong. Like she got over you, fixed her broken heart, but the truth is...didn't matter who else came along, who showered her with attention, she never stopped loving you, Daryl. Don't let her stubbornness ruin things this time, you're gonna have to make her admit her feelings for you."

"What do you care? You spent the whole damn time we was together trying to break us up. Hell, d'you forget the night you tried to bribe me? Threaten me? Ruin me?" Daryl stood up then, shoving the chair backwards with a screech as the legs slid across the floor. He gestured emphatically towards Jim with a wave of his hand and a handful of colorful curses. "You made her life hell long before I did."

"You're right." Jim admitted calmly, clearly surprising Daryl, who stopped his tirade long enough to stare at him with a furrowed brow. "What? You don't think I realized what I did was wrong? Hell, I was the one that had to comfort her when you left, Dixon. I was here to see what your leaving did to my baby girl. And yes, I admit my part in what happened and I'm here to say that I am sorry, for it all."

"Admit your part?" Daryl scoffed as he resumed his pacing. Cutting a glance at Jim, his eyes sparkled with disbelief and contempt for the man that had once spent a great deal of time trying to make his life a living hell. "Doubt Sam knows all the shit you pulled."

"No, she doesn't. Don't see that there's any reason for her to know everything, it would just break her heart and she's had enough of that done to her." Jim stood up and stepped over to look out the window, where the last vestiges of afternoon sun were beaming through. "But, I was wrong and I am sorry for that. I just...I'm an old man now, Daryl, doubt I'll be around much longer and I have regrets, too many to count, and one of them is that I never got to walk my baby girl down the aisle." He turned away from the window to face Daryl, the regrets he spoke of evident in his face. "I'd like to think I'd get a chance to fix that one."

"Don't go holding your breath. Sam ain't given me so much as the time of day in two weeks." Daryl sighed and felt his shoulders drop a bit as the anger that had risen up inside him deflated. "Appreciate the apology, don't do much, but it's something."

"You and Sam, hell, wasn't what I wanted for my baby, but it's what she wanted and I should've honored that." Jim shifted his gaze from Daryl to the photographs on his shelf to land on the picture of his daughter and Jacey, finally seeing that the missing piece of that photo was standing in the same room with him. "Just think about what I've said, Daryl. Don't let her stubborn streak keep y'all apart any longer. These days, you don't know how much time you've got left and it's stupid not to spend them with the ones you love."

As he walked down the hallway, escaping what could only be described as the strangest conversation he'd ever had with Sam's father, Daryl headed towards the auditorium and pulled open one of the doors to be greeted by the sweet sound of Sam's voice. Smiling, he crossed the empty room, his strides more determined than his mind, which had yet to fully process everything it had just heard.

Opting to use the hallway entrance, Daryl stood just outside the doorway and simply enjoyed the sound of her voice. He could tell it was a new song, simply by the way she played; singing, pausing, correcting, writing and repeating, until it was perfect. It was a process he had once been familiar with, and it apparently hadn't diminished with time.

_"Clinging to me, like a last breath you would breathe...You were like home to me, I don't recognize the street."_ Sam experimented with the first lines, something that came to her during yet another sleepless night; plaguing her until she'd scribbled down the lyrics dancing through her insomnia riddled brain. She was supposed to be working on a song specifically for Maggie and Glenn's wedding, the one she'd had a part in convincing them to let happen, and yet, all she could do was focus on writing yet another song about a certain someone she refused to acknowledge openly.

Sighing with frustration, she paused and pulled the pencil from where she had jammed it in to the base of her ponytail and scribbled a note in the corner of the paper; returning the pencil to her hair when she was done. _"Please don't close your eyes, I don't know where to look without them."_

Feeling like a stalker, Daryl stood in the dimly lit hallway, leaning back against the cool cinder block wall, and simply enjoyed the sound of Sam's creative process. He could recall the times vividly when she would sit at the piano, or perch on the porch swing with her guitar, and work on new material. It was something he hadn't realized he missed that much until he'd stumbled upon his past once more. Daryl waited as patiently as possible in the hallway, not wanting to interrupt. A couple handfuls of minutes passed by, so many that the sounds of movement from dinner prep could be heard in the other room, but he'd stand there forever if it meant hearing Sam sing.

_"I used to run down the stairs...to the door and I thought you were there...Do you shape to the comfort of us...two lovers loved out of love."_ Sam paused once more, but this time was to push aside the memories that suddenly popped in to her mind. Recalling the countless days when she'd ran down the stairs at her parents’ house every time someone would ring the doorbell, in hopes that Daryl had returned. Removing the pencil from her hair once more, she chewed on the yellow ridges for a moment before scrawling a notation on the page. She dropped the pencil on to the bench beside her and returned her fingertips to the ivory keys to work on the chorus. _"Oh but I know you care, I know it is always been there...But there is trouble ahead and I can feel it...You were just saving yourself when you hide it ...Yeah I know you care...I see it in the way you stare."_

The music stopped. Silence filled the hallway as Daryl waited to see if she would resume playing, but after a moment the only thing he heard was the bustle of the others in the auditorium. Mustering up the courage to face her, Daryl turned the doorknob and cautiously poked his head inside to find Sam gathering up a pile of notebooks. She looked up as he took a step in to the room towards her, his heart cracking as she abruptly stood up and shied away from him. Misreading her expression, he sighed with frustration. "I ain't gonna hurt you, Sam. Just wanted to talk."

Daryl had no idea how wrong he was about that. He could hurt her in ways that no other person could, simply by allowing herself to love him again. Sam backed away from him so far that the curtain brushed against her back, but it put the distance she needed between them. Shaking her head, she avoided his intense gaze and muttered, "I can't. Um, not right now. I have to go."

"Don't shut me out." Daryl's voice was too low, barely above a whisper as though his heart wouldn't allow him to project his words out of fear of rejection. He watched as Sam turned her back to him and started searching for the split in the curtain so that she could escape being around him. Sighing, he almost gave up, but the odd sound of her father's voice in his head changed his mind. Crossing the space between them, his arm circled her bicep just as Sam jerked the curtain aside and stepped through the opening. "Just talk to me, Sam."

"I said I can't." Sam whispered, her skin tingled beneath his touch and her body hummed simply because of its proximity to Daryl. Shaking her head, repeated her words with more force and jerked her arm away from Daryl's, momentarily throwing herself off balance. She hadn't been lying to him when she'd said that being with him was too hard, but she had left out the fact that not being with him was harder; far more difficult than being involved with him. But, by doing so, by steering clear of him, she allowed herself the much needed distance to keep her heart intact. Giving in to her feelings for Daryl would allow him the power to break her heart once more, to break her, and Sam didn't think she could come back from that again. Lowering her voice, erasing the hysteria that bubbled up from her anxious nerves, another sleepless night keeping her on edge at all times, Sam apologized. "Not right now, Daryl. I'm sorry."

Shaking her head once more, Sam turned towards the stairs to leave, but pulled up short when the double doors across the room were yanked open and a cluster of men barreled through. She cocked her head to the side and studied them, trying to see past the layers of grime and dirt that coated their skin, the tattered clothing and bloodstains that were liberally splattered across them. Her eyes widened when she realized what she was looking at, or better, who. Her notebooks fell to the ground, the pencils that were stuck inside them scattered across the floor, as she scurried off the stage and took off at a full run towards one of the men that had collapsed just inside the entryway.

"Ryan!"

Daryl's heart clenched at the sound of her scream, the worry that filled it and echoed through the room. He watched for a brief second as Sam tore across the room and skidded to a stop at the side of the man who was kneeling by the door; watched as she fell to the floor beside him with tears spilling down her cheeks. Daryl watched, his heart breaking, his hopes dashing, as Sam sobbed and pulled Ryan in to her arms.

No one noticed the maroon curtain fall back in its place


	71. Chapter 71

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the reviews and kudos on the last few chapters! I truly appreciate each and every one.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Previously in the Past: Daryl and Sam got married!**  
_

 

_**The past: Wednesday, December, 15th, 1999** _

 

It had been two months and eight days since they'd gotten married, sixty-nine days total, and Sam's pregnancy was progressing well; especially since the dreaded all hours of the day "morning" sickness had passed. She had gained a whole whopping five pounds in spite of all the foods she consumed daily, and all of that seemed to be located directly in the tiny bump on her belly. Sadly, and to Sam's annoyance, none of the weight had made it to her breasts as of yet, but she was holding out hope.

That afternoon they had to be in Macon for a checkup, a very special one as today they were going to attempt to tell the sex of their baby. At four months pregnant, the first real signs of change in Sam's body were now fully evident, the reality of the situation had been realized in Daryl's mind and there was rarely a moment of the day when he wasn't agonizing over their finances, although he tried his best to keep that reality from Sam.

Since they'd gotten married, she was no longer on her father's insurance and thus, they had none at the moment. Daryl was trying his best to keep up with the bills, paying them out of pocket the moment they came in to keep the stress off of Sam, but the honest truth was that he wasn't going to be able to afford to be that diligent soon. Despite his begging for more work, Swain had actually cut back his hours, so that he was only working four days a week now. Although Daryl couldn't prove it, he suspected his father-in-law played a hand in his sudden downfall at work, as the man seemed determined to do anything he could to cause discord in their marriage; mostly being snide remarks and thinly veiled threats made on the handful of times they’d been in the same room together, but Daryl wouldn't be surprised if he would resort to causing financial troubles to cause extra stress.

Daryl was leaning over the kitchen counter, anxiously balancing the checkbook, when Sam returned home from work. While she wasn't privy to their current dismal financial state, she had insisted on getting a part time job to help out around the house; adamantly refusing to be a stay at home wife. However, her twenty hours a week answering phones and organizing paperwork at her brother's law practice didn't exactly pay out in boatloads of cash. At the sound of her keys in the door, Daryl straightened and shoved the checkbook in his back pocket. He grabbed one of the sale fliers off the stack on the counter and pretended to be engrossed in it when Sam entered the house. Peeking over the top, he said, "Home already? Thought you was staying until after lunch?"

"Slow day. Josh sent me home early." Sam tossed her keys on to the counter, followed by her purse, and rounded the row of cabinets so that she could wrap her arms around Daryl. "Thought maybe we could leave early and go grab something to eat."

"Let me guess, tacos?" Daryl cocked a knowing smile down at Sam, her craving of all things Mexican and slathered in hot sauce was ever present. Her thin arms circled his neck as she leaned in to him, the small bump of her belly pressed against his abdomen and brightened his smile. His hands traveled down her sides and found their way to the swell of her belly, his thumbs caressed her gently through the silky material of her blouse. "How's my peanut today?"

"Peanut's behaving." Sam chuckled and glanced down at her baby bump, to where Daryl's hands were openly loving on the gentle swell of her stomach. "Can't believe it's already time to find out if our little Peanut is a boy or a girl. It's went by so fast! Not too much longer until we reach actual baby reality."

Daryl avoided Sam's happy gaze, his heart wanted to be as excited as she was, but his mind was far too distracted with their mounting financial issues. He had no clue how he was going to pay the steep price of birth, plus all the necessities that came with having a baby. He prayed that Sam’s mother put together a shower so that they could get at least a few months’ worth of baby items stocked before Peanut arrived. Lost in his thoughts, Daryl missed what Sam was saying and looked up from her belly. "What'd you say?"

"I said I'm going to take a shower before we go...and asked if you wanted to join me?" Sam repeated with a coy smile, her hands covered his on top of her belly and clasped around them to tug him towards the bathroom.

"Ain't no way we're getting to Macon on time if I get in there with you." Daryl tried to put a smile on his face. While he wanted to join Sam in the shower, because let's face it...he always wanted to be with her, especially if she was wet and naked, there was something else he needed to do first. He needed to call his brother and that was a conversation that Sam didn't need to be privy to. "Raincheck though...tonight?"

"Sure. Yeah, of course." Sam pushed away her disappointment and smiled through it. She could tell that something was bothering Daryl and whatever was on his mind had been there for a while. He was trying his best not to let it show, but an actor he was not. Slipping her hands from his, she eased on to her tip toes long enough to brush a kiss across his lips before turning and retreating in to the bathroom.

Daryl waited until he heard the sound of water running in the bathroom before picking up the cordless phone and punching in Merle's number. The sound of ringing filled his ear and did so for so long that he was about to hang up, figuring that Merle had either disappeared once more or was asleep, when the line picked up and heard the gravelly voice of his brother. Neither one of them favored small talk too much, so Daryl get straight to the point after exchanging a few very brief pleasantries. "Look, the reason I'm calling is I...we, uh need some money. Was wondering if you got word on any runs coming up?" Daryl tucked away his pride and let Merle chastise him for getting in to the position he was in, knowing full well his brother meant married and pregnant instead of broke, because he needed his help to get out of the situation he'd gotten himself in. When Merle finished his long winded speech and string of put downs, he finally got to the point of the phone call and agreed to let Daryl come along that weekend for a run up to Atlanta and back. "Yeah, aight...Saturday, I'll be there."

Sam could sense a change in him by the time she returned to the kitchen. Daryl was leaning against the counter, pensively staring out the window with his arms crossed against his chest, and the cordless phone clutched in his hand. She stood in the doorway and watched him for a moment, drinking in the sight of his beauty, while nervously worrying about the stormy mood that he was clearly in the throes of. While chewing on her bottom lip, Sam crossed the small space between them, leaned a hip against the counter beside him and wrapped her arms around him. Pressing a gentle kiss to his shoulder, she glanced up at Daryl and asked lightly, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Was his immediate answer, not wanting to pull her in to the dark recesses of his mind, but a glance down in to her eyes made him realize he needed to offer at least something in response to her inquiry. Sighing, he felt his shoulders drop as he looked away from Sam and lied, “Merle called. Needs me to help him out with work this weekend.”

“Oh.” Sam’s reply was nearly silent as she released her hold on Daryl. She could tell he was holding something back, but wasn’t quite sure what it was and why he felt the need to hide it from her. Daryl had barely seen Merle in months and those few times were by accident when they’d run in to him in town, or so she thought. Was it possible he’d been spending more time with his brother than he’d let on because he knew she didn’t like Merle? If that was true, she felt bad for putting a wall between her husband and the only blood family he had. Smiling up at him reassuringly, Sam said, “You haven’t spent much time with him lately, I’m glad he called you.”

“Yeah, um…he wants me to run up to Atlanta with him for the day.” Daryl slid past Sam and headed towards the living room to return the phone to its cradle. “Probably take most of Saturday.”

“That’s cool. Cassie’s coming in to town this weekend. We haven’t had a girl’s day in a while.” The dark cloud that had hung over his head for the past few days seemed to have intensified in a matter of seconds, but Sam refused to be the type of wife that badgered her husband constantly. She hoped that he would eventually share his feelings, but she didn’t plan on holding her breath for that since Daryl was more of the strong silent type. So, instead of interrogating him, Sam said a silent prayer instead and slipped the strap of her purse over her shoulder while motioning towards the door. “Ready to go?”

Several hours later, after an agonizingly tense car ride, they were once again in the tiny pastel room waiting to see the doctor. This time was different from other visits though, instead of canoodling with one another and being embarrassingly affectionate, the distance between them was as alarming as the silence that filled the room. Daryl was parked in one of the highly uncomfortable plastic chairs near the door staring at the linoleum floor, while Sam was perched up on the table wearing the paper robe and trying to at least appear calm; her hormones causing a war inside her mind, wanting to know what was causing Daryl’s unhappiness, but not wanting to find out that his mood was a reflection of his feelings towards her. She knew it was illogical, that Daryl had suddenly stopped loving her, but her insecurity wasn’t letting her mind be reasonable at the moment. Thankfully, just as she was about to question him, the doctor swept in to the room with a warm smile.

“So, how’s mommy doing today?” Dr. Summers asked after greeting them both with a shake of the hand. When Sam replied that everything was going well, she glanced down at the folder in her hands, looked over the notes made by the nurse when Sam had been brought back for her appointment, and smiled. “Well, everything looks good here. BP’s a little high, but nothing to worry about right now. Let’s get you ready for the ultrasound. Y’all still want to know the sex, right?”

“Yes ma’am.” Sam replied brightly as she laid back down on the table. “I don’t know how anyone doesn’t want to find out. Pretty sure the suspense would drive me bananas.”

“Right there with you on that one. I found out with all three of mine.” Elaine noticed the tension in the room, definitely hadn’t missed the lack of pre-appointment affection that they usually displayed, and wondered what was amiss. Chalking it up to the stress of getting married young and the realities that pregnancy brought forth, she brushed her concerns aside for now and focused on squirting the clear jelly on to the curve of Sam’s slightly pregnant belly. Waving the wand over it, she smiled when Daryl finally got out of the chair and crossed the room to stand next to Sam; reaching out to take her hand in his while they watched the images of their child project on to the screen. After a few seconds of inspection, she turned her attention back to the couple and smiled, “Looks like y’all are having a girl.”

“A girl?” Sam murmured the words with a watery smile plastered on her face and glanced up at her husband. Noticing that Daryl, too, had tears shimmering in his eyes and a smile on his face, she told herself that everything was going to be okay and that everyone was allowed to have days where they were in a bad mood. Bringing Daryl’s hand to her lips, she brushed a kiss across the back of it, and stared at the image of their baby girl on the screen. “We’re having a baby girl.”


	72. Chapter 72

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_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The past: Friday night, December 24th, 2012**  
_

 

“Come on! Can’t I see yet? The suspense is killing me!” Sam giggled and pleaded with Daryl, but obediently kept her eyes closed as he guided her safely up the stairs and inside the house. They’d just returned from a very late dinner at the only place in town open on Christmas Eve, Marie’s, which would also be open the next day and that alone was nearly blasphemous in Collins with it being Christ’s birthday and all. They had actually eaten dinner earlier in the evening with Cassie and, afterwards had spent several hours at the Delaney's house while the girls exchange presents. However, upon saying goodnight to Cassie and her parents, Sam’s sudden craving for pancakes and bacon had them making a detour on the way home in search of food. Upon returning to the house, Daryl had opened the car door for her and, once she’d gotten out, had immediately wrapped his hands around her from behind and covered her eyes to lead her in the house for a surprise. Once inside the house, he’d left her standing just inside the side entrance with strict rules to keep her eyes closed, which she was doing, but curiosity was quickly eating away at her. “Puh-lease?!”

“You ain’t got a lick of patience, you know that?” Daryl shook his head at the sight of Sam bouncing in place with her eyes closed; the shiny ornaments on her gaudy holiday sweater bobbing up and down with each bounce. Checking once more that the large silver bow was positioned just right, he crossed the room to stand beside Sam and took her hand in his to lead her towards the present that he shouldn’t have purchased, but honestly couldn’t help himself when he’d saw it in the pawn shop. Placing Sam directly in front of her gift, Daryl said, “Go on then. Open your eyes.”

Nearly bursting from the excitement of the situation, Sam opened her eyes quickly and teared up at the sight before her. Sure, it wasn’t in the best condition, had a couple scrapes and nicks in the wood, and certainly wasn’t as grand as the one at her parent’s house, but to Sam it was the best present in the world. Rushing over to the piano, she shoved aside the bow and dangling ribbons, while squealing with delight as she sank down on to the bench. “It’s absolutely perfect! I love it!”

“It ain’t exactly in the best condition, but thought I could paint it for you or som’thing.” Daryl shrugged and moved past Sam’s excitement as he gave away to his insecurity, the demons in his head torturing him with reminders that neither he nor the presents he bought Sam were good enough. While he had managed to put a good chunk of change in to their savings account with two runs to Atlanta with Merle, which basically amounted to an old shoe box shoved underneath his side of the bed, he couldn’t bring himself to put forth the amount of money needed to purchase Sam the quality of piano she had over at her parents’ house. But, when he’d spotted the old piano tucked away in the corner of the local pawn shop he couldn’t not purchase it for her, especially since Sam had recently confessed how much she missed playing the piano.

“Daryl, it’s perfect…really. It’s my favorite Christmas present ever.” Sam beamed up at Daryl with sheer happiness on her face and patted her hand on the empty space of bench beside her. “Sit with me.” When Daryl sat down next to her, Sam leaned over and placed a kiss on his cheek before flipping open the scuffed wooden cover that protected the keys. While she caressed the keys lovingly, checking each one to make sure the tune was correct, she asked, “What’s the best Christmas present you’ve gotten?”

“Ain’t never got one.” Daryl’s reply was gruff, lower than normal, as he embarrassingly admitted to never receiving a present for Christmas. As a child, his parents struggled to meet even the basic needs of their children, and that certainly hadn’t included presents…for Christmas or otherwise. “My family never did Christmas.”

“Oh. I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Sam cringed and tried to smooth over her blunder. She was aware that Daryl’s childhood was less than stellar, that his parents had barely been able to pay bills most months, but she had never considered the fact that they’d never celebrated holidays or given their children presents. Glancing past him towards the kitchen, she smiled when she saw that the glowing red numbers declared it Christmas morning. Sam slid off the bench and scurried towards the bedroom, while calling out over her shoulder to Daryl. “I’ll be right back. Don’t move!”

Sam was pleased as punch that Daryl had clearly went over the pre-arranged spending amount on presents, and she was fairly certain that he’d gone over by a good one hundred and fifty dollars since she’d already spied the piano downtown a few weeks ago. Wanting to spend her money on a really nice present for Daryl, she had reluctantly turned away from the glass store front of the pawn shop and proceeded towards her original destination, her family’s hunting and sporting goods store, to see if what she wanted to get him was possibly already tucked away in one of the display cases. Unfortunately, the knife she’d seen Daryl eyeballing in one of the free product catalogs that he received wasn’t in stock, the longtime manager and family friend had ordered one for her, and somehow he was also able to locate one that was half price through one of the reliable companies the store had dealt with nearly as long as the store had been open. Sam didn’t question what Lonny had to do to get the knife at such a low price, but had thanked him with a box of his favorite donuts from the bakery down the street promptly after placing the order.

In the bedroom, Sam knelt down in front of the dainty, three foot tall, Christmas tree they’d placed there instead of the living room and grabbed the narrow box containing Daryl’s present. Grinning from ear to ear, she darted back to the living room and held the red and green wrapped present out to Daryl. “Merry Christmas.”

“But it ain’t Christmas morning yet.” Daryl pointed out, although he took the present from Sam’s hands and started to fiddle with the ribbon. “Only let you have yours ‘cause they wouldn’t deliver it tomorrow.”

“It’s after midnight so it’s technically Christmas morning.” Sam smiled and waved her hands towards Daryl to urge him to unwrap his present. She loved giving presents and put hours upon hours of thought in to what to get the people she cared about. To Sam, she generally received more joy from giving presents than she did receiving them, so she was about to burst with glee at the moment since Daryl was still sitting there fiddling with the present and not opening it. “You can wait until morning if you really want to.”

Daryl shook his head, but remained silent. He’d never gotten a present before and was suddenly choked up at the fact that Sam had gotten him one, truly not expecting anything in spite of the conversation they’d had in reference to what to get one another and how much to spend. He glanced up at Sam, took note of the sheer delight on her face, and ripped in to the holiday wrapping paper. As the paper fluttered to the ground, he opened the end of the box and slid out the contents, his eyes growing wide when he realized what Sam had bought for him…and, since he’d already seen the Busse combat knife in a magazine last month, knew how much it cost. “Sam, it’s too much.”

“No, really, it’s not. I mean, yeah, it would’ve been if the manager at Dad’s store hadn’t been a miracle worker, but it really wasn’t that expensive.” Sam deliberately left out the fact that even with the said miracle working, she had spent close to two hundred dollars, dipping in to the savings account that held the money she’d saved up from performing over the years. “I wanted you to have something nice.”

Daryl held on to the handle and tested the weight of the knife, then ran the tip of his index finger along the sharp edge experimentally. The logical part of his brain was screaming at him to hand it back to Sam, to have her return it because they needed the money, but another part of his mind was overjoyed with the present and didn’t want to give it back. That was the part of his brain where the child he once was lived, the abused and neglected little boy who desperately wanted to be loved and showered with attention that stayed hidden in the dark recesses of his mind. Giving in to his inner child, Daryl pulled the leather sheath from the box and lovingly slid the knife inside, clipping the flap in place to keep it secured in its holder. Reaching out, he grabbed hold of Sam’s wrists and pulled her towards him; circling his arms around her and resting his cheek against the bump on her belly where their baby girl lived. At that moment, Daryl couldn’t think of another time in his life where he felt that happy with his life.


	73. Chapter 73

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_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The past: Saturday late afternoon, January 16th, 2000**  
_

 

The rest of the holiday season had flown by with little contact from Sam’s family. Well, the majority of the men in her family, that is, since her father, Bo and Tyler adamantly refused to have anything to do with Daryl and thus, Sam, since she refused to spend Christmas with them without her husband. She had managed a little time with the others members of her family when they’d shown up at hers and Daryl’s house after lunch on Christmas, arms full of presents and food. While it was a lovely surprise and Sam was pleased that most of her family had accepted Daryl as one of them, Sam couldn’t get past the wave of sadness that plagued her heart at the absence of the rest of her family; most importantly, her father. It seemed that the sonogram copies she’d made sure to get for her mother had little to no impact on her father as he’d not reached out to Sam since the day she’d told them she was pregnant and getting married. It broke her heart to think that her daughter might live in a world where her grandfather ignored her over a disagreement with his own daughter.

To celebrate the New Year, Sam and Daryl had stayed in, cuddled up on the couch while watching the ball drop. It was the first time in a long time where she hadn’t celebrated the incoming year with fanfare, but she wouldn’t have changed it for the world. Afterward, once the glittering ball had made its descent in the middle of Times Square, Daryl had picked her up and carried her to bed, where they had continued to ring in the New Year making love to one another. Sam was pretty sure that she had no intentions of celebrating that particular holiday in any other manner than being wrapped in Daryl’s arms, and having him buried inside her.

After the joy and cheer of the holiday season faded away, Daryl’s dark mood had returned in full force. Sam had tiptoed around him, careful not to upset him any more than he already was, although she was fairly certain that his bad mood wasn’t caused by her specifically. Although she had asked him on more than one occasion what was wrong, he’d simply shut her out by assuring her that nothing was wrong, which Sam knew was a lie. Without knowing the problem, she was at a loss as what she could do to fix it and simply had to wait it out and see if things improved with time.

Daryl had been spending a lot of time with his brother, which Sam felt was odd since he’d barely spent any time with Merle since they had started dating. While she still felt bad for the rift she felt she’d caused between the brothers in the beginning, Sam wasn’t entirely sure that spending time with Merle was the best thing for Daryl. She was more than aware of the activities Merle Dixon partook in thanks to the report from her brother, and didn’t want Daryl to end up on that same road simply due to his need to please his brother. There was also the fact that the more time Daryl spent with Merle, the worse his mood was when he returned. To Sam, there had to be a correlation there.

Glancing up at the clock, she noticed that Daryl was now almost an hour late. He had left with Merle that morning, allegedly going back up to Atlanta for some type of work that Sam had yet to be clued in to the nature of, but had promised to be home in time to drive her over to Macon for the wedding reception the band was playing at that night. While she was fully capable of driving, he had been worried about her driving home at such a late hour by herself. However, as the clock counted down to the deadline of her departure, Sam was beginning to think that she was going to have to leave without him, despite her promises to not do just that. Sighing, Sam stalked across the room and sank down on the couch, preferring to glare at the clock from the comfort of the leathery furniture instead of standing in the kitchen.

Another half hour later and Sam had to accept the fact that Daryl wasn’t coming home, she just prayed that he had forgotten or gotten tied up, instead of the other possibility of him being hurt or worse. Pushing off the couch, she grabbed her purse and scribbled a quick note to Daryl letting him know that she had to leave without him. There was nothing she could do about Daryl at the moment since there was no way of getting hold of him and she had no clue where he was supposed to be and therefore had no way of contacting local authorities to see if he’d been involved in an accident. Letting the door slam shut behind her, Sam headed towards her car.

By the time the last set was complete, the time was inching its way towards midnight and Sam’s feet were killing her; being five months pregnant and standing on stage in heels, no matter how low they were, wasn’t doing wonders for her present state of comfort. Exhausted, she picked up her guitar case with one hand and held on to her heels with the other. “I had a great time tonight guys. Thanks for letting me play with you.”

“Hey, we’re just glad to have you. They’ve missed you over at Tiny’s, you know?” Ryan hefted his own guitar case on to his shoulder and smiled down from the stage at Sam. Really noticing the dark circles under her eyes for the first time that night, he asked, “You sure you’re okay to drive? We’re staying over at the Holiday Inn, they may have a room.”

While the offer was appealing, Sam declined in favor of driving herself home and seeing if Daryl was there. She had attempted calling the house during their break, but had been greeted by the answering machine instead of her husband. Waving goodbye to the guys in the band, Sam said with a barely stifled yawn, “Y’all have a good night!”

After stowing the guitar in the backseat, Sam tossed her shoes in to the floorboard on the passenger side before easing down in to the driver’s seat. While it was inevitable that she was going to have to trade in her Camaro for something more on the reasonable side, Sam had been putting off doing so for as long as possible, since she really loved her little red sports car. She cranked the car and turned up the radio loudly, both for entertainment on the long drive home and to keep her awake, and pulled out of the parking lot.

There was little traffic once she turned on to highway 18 from highway 75, as she made her way out of Macon; the late night hour generally bringing out only the night shift workers and insomniacs. She idly changed the channels, looking for something a little peppier than country music in hopes that a more upbeat tune would rejuvenate her a bit. Settling on a station that was playing retro songs from the 80’s, she yawned loudly and strummed her fingers on the steering wheel along to the beat. For about thirty miles, she did really well with driving, seemingly more awake than she was when she left the reception, but was clearly wrong when the startling sound of her car swerving off the roadway, on to the gravel shoulder, caused Sam to over calculate when she jerked the wheel sharply towards the left.

Her heart beat wildly in her chest as she tried to gain control of her car, only managing to do so a half second before her line of sight was blinded by the high beams of an oncoming car. Sam’s own screams matched the level of music blaring out of the speakers before being joined by the bone chilling sound of metal crunching against metal as the vehicle rammed in to the headlight on the driver’s side of the Camaro and skidded up the quarter panel, the vehicles tearing apart just shy of the side mirror on Sam’s car, but only because she was now barreling down an embankment; the force of the full sized truck forcing her off the roadway.

_*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*_

Sunday afternoon was in full swing by the time Lindy Collins pulled in to the parking lot at the Coliseum Medical Center in Macon, where she had worked in Labor and Delivery for the past ten years. Grabbing her obligatory travel mug full of much needed caffeine, she headed through the main entrance and made her way to the Family Ties Birthing Center to begin the overtime shift she had picked up at the last minute, opting to go to the early morning services at church and skip the rest of family day in order to help out a good friend who had scored tickets to a concert out of town. Slipping around the counter, by passing the nurse who was just heading out, she sat down her purse and coffee. She was picking up the pile of folders to start going over files of incoming patients, when the senior nightshift nurse appeared at her side with a frown marring her face. Sitting down the paperwork in her hand, Lindy asked, “What’s wrong, Meredith?”

“We have a patient in from Collins, that’s where you’re from, right?” Meredith held out the folder in her hand and continued, “We’re having a hard time getting hold of anyone at the numbers listed on her file and thought you might be able to help.”

“Sure, let me see.” Lindy took the folder and flipped it open to inspect the information inside, figuring that if she didn’t know who the woman was then she could easily call Bo and have him do some digging. Glancing down, her heart sank when she saw the name on the paperwork. Lindy pushed back the chair and stood up, heading towards the room listed while talking over her shoulder. “She’s my sister-in-law. What happened?”

“Car wreck. Came in a couple of hours ago.” Meredith reached out and grabbed hold of Lindy’s shoulder to slow her down. “Linds, it was bad. Apparently it took rescue workers a while to get to her and who knows how long she was trapped in the car before then. The officer that came in with her said she was hit nearly head on by a truck, a drunk driver.”

“How bad are we talking?” Lindy paused and looked back inside the folder, finally paying attention to what was documented inside. Pressing a hand to her mouth, she held back the tears that burned in her eyes. “Oh my god.” Locating one of the phones in the hallway, she left Meredith behind and headed to it quickly, lifting the receiver and getting an outside line to call her family. Thankfully, everyone had just started trickling in to Jim and Donna’s house for lunch after church, so someone was there to answer her desperate call. Once she had finished explaining the situation, Lindy added, “Find Daryl. The Macon police have tried and so has the hospital, but he’s not answering the phone. Do what you have to, Bo…Sam’s gonna need him.”

After hanging up with Bo, Lindy headed down the hallway towards the room where Sam was assigned to. Pushing open the door, she found the room dimly lit with the only light coming in through the barely cracked blinds. Hesitantly, she slipped in the room and eased a hip on to Sam’s bed, reaching out to take hold of her hand. Glancing over at the machine that monitored her vitals, she was relieved to find them at a healthy state and turned her attention back to Sam, who was now staring up at her with tears in her eyes. “Hey baby girl, I’m so sorry.” Lindy choked out, her own tears finally releasing to fall over her pale blonde lashes on to her cheeks.

“Where’s Daryl?” Sam managed to get out between sobs, as she clung tightly to her sister-in-law, who was crying nearly as earnestly as she was. “I need...I need to tell him. He needs to know that I…I lost our baby.”


	74. Chapter 74

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the reviews and kudos!!! Unfortunately, there will not be an update on Sunday, because I will be in Atlanta for Walker Stalker Con....meeting the sexy and ridiculously adorable, Norman Reedus. I may faint.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Previously in the Present:**  
_ Daryl had a talk with Sam's father, tried to talk to Sam, but was interrupted when Ryan returned home from the scavenging run injured.

 

_**The present: Tuesday, March 26th, 2012** _

 

When Ryan regained consciousness the next morning, in the wee hours before the sun had even begun its ascent into the blue sky, he groaned painfully and fought back the desire to vomit, despite having nothing in his stomach to purge. Squinting, due to the pain in his head and not the brightness in the room since the room was barely lit by one lone lantern on the table beside the bed, he searched the room for any signs of life; his pained gaze landing on the figure slumped forward in a neighboring chair with their head resting on the mattress near his knees. Recognizing the long honey colored locks that were spilled across the pale green blanket, Ryan lifted his hand enough so that he could reach out and softly caress the silken locks; letting his fingers slip through Sam’s tresses so gently that she didn’t stir in her sleep.

Sheer exhaustion and the throbbing pain in his head won out over consciousness and Ryan slipped back in to a deep sleep only moments after he had finally woken up. The next time he woke up, his eyes fluttering and opening only partially since the room was now brighter thanks the early morning light filtering through the tops of the ceiling high windows that had not been fully boarded up, he smiled in spite of the pain at the sight of Sam still fast asleep. This time, however, when he reached out to run his fingers through her hair, she woke up and glanced over at him sleepily.

“Hey, you’re awake!” Sam smiled over at Ryan and stifled a yawn as she stretched her arms. “How’re you feeling?”

“Not great, but I guess that’s to be expected.” Parched, he greedily drank the entire cupful of water that Sam handed him. Once the cup had been returned to the table beside him, Ryan tried to adjust his position in the bed and winced as his side came alive with searing pain. Groaning, he stopped what he was doing immediately and stilled while taking shallow breaths to ease the pain. “Don’t let a barn fall on you. Just saying, it’s not all fun and games.”

“Yeah, Richard explained what happened, to the best of his knowledge, once they got you set up in here and Krista checked you over.” Sam moved the chair she’d been sleeping in for the past several hours closer to the top of the bed and reclaimed her seat. “Pretty nasty wound you’ve got going on. She's got you on some antibiotics, so you should be fine. How on earth did you manage to get that through your side?”

“We were down near the state line searching an old farm house. I was in the barn, up top, when the floor gave out and I fell. Landed right on top of a pile of old scrap materials. Not my finest moment.” Ryan stretched his arm out towards Sam and held his hand palm up until she covered it with hers. “Thanks for sticking around last night.”

Sam dropped her guilty gaze to the tightly woven thin blanket that covered Ryan. “Well, it’s my fault you’re in here. If I hadn’t ran you off.” Sighing, she brought her green eyes to meet his brown ones and apologized, “I’m so sorry, Ryan…for everything. You didn’t deserve any of this.”

Ryan choked up, suddenly unsure of what to say in response to Sam’s apology. Sure, he’d taken the extra scavenging run to give her some breathing room, but it wasn’t like she’d physically forced him out of town. He had been a willing participant in the leaving, although he wasn’t exactly onboard with the breakup that had preceded it. After a few moments of awkward silence passed between them, he finally said, “It wasn’t your fault, Sam. None of it. Things like this happen now.”

“I know they do.” Sam whispered, her thoughts were jumbled up in her head, suddenly unable to make sense of all the things she had planned to say to him once he returned. Glancing down at their joined hands, she took notice of the scratches and scars he’d earned during all of his supply runs, all of the times he had put his safety on the line to provide for the town, and let the frown she felt inside form on her face. Ryan was the perfect guy, really. He was strong, handsome, honest, loyal, and hardworking. However, in spite of all of his good qualities, Sam wasn’t in love with him and doubted that she ever could be, no matter how much sense it made in her mind.

Ryan remained silent and simply watched Sam, saw the war that was going on in her mind reflected in her stormy eyes. He had only been gone a little over two weeks and yet, he could already see the change in her. Sam seemed sad, exhausted, stressed and pained all at once and he wondered what had happened in the short time he was gone. Ryan had fully expected to return to Collins to find her happy and tangled up with Daryl once more, but judging by the sight in front of him, he was beginning to think he was wrong in his original assumption. “Sam, what’s wrong?” When she looked up sharply and started to protest, and failed when she tried to convince him that everything was fine, he said, “Don’t bullshit a bullshitter, Sam. You look so sad. What’s been going on here since I left?”

“It’s been stressful, to say the least.” Sam smiled softly, the gesture never made it up to her eyes though. She briefly filled him in on the events of the past couple of weeks; the attack, Cassie’s blooming relationship with Rick, carefully navigating around the topic of Daryl so that she didn’t hurt Ryan’s feelings any more than she already had. “I’ve just been so lost lately. I can’t talk to Cassie much, she’s always with Rick and well, he’s usually with Daryl and I’ve been keeping my distance from him as much as I can. And, the only other person I ever really talked to was you and you weren’t here. Not that I’d talk to you about him anyway.”

“You can, you know? You used to all the time, back in Nashville.” While he thought his heart might fully break in half hearing Sam gush about being back together with Daryl, Ryan loved her enough to want to offer her anything he could to ease the stress she was going through. “Although, I don’t know how effective it would be without the chocolate chunk ice cream you used to inhale back then.”

“I would probably kill someone for ice cream right now.” Sam chuckled, her eyes were watery with unshed tears, but she smiled through the sadness. Sobering, she locked her gaze on Ryan’s and said, “I appreciate the offer, but I can’t do that to you. I’m not that mean, on purpose anyway. Plus, you’re all hurt and I’m over here whining.” Sam released her hand from Ryan’s and stood up. “I’m going to go find Krista, have her come check you out while you’re conscious and all.”

And, just like that she was gone, figuratively not literally. Sam retrieved her sister-in-law, Krista, a pediatrician in a previous life, but had been promoted to town physician after the turn. She had stood by while Krista checked Ryan, inspected the sutures she’d sewn in while he was passed out, checked his temperature and peered in to his eyes with a bright light. Once the doctor was done thoroughly examining him and dosing him up with more medicine, pain killers and antibiotics, Sam had stayed by his side until he’d fallen asleep, but there was no more mention of her woes. She only focused on him and refused to engage in any conversation that didn’t revolve around Ryan. It was, to Ryan, more frustrating than the rebar that he’d been impaled with only a few days ago.

Once the painkillers took hold of Ryan and slipped him back in to a deep sleep, Sam tiptoed out of the clinic, intending on heading home for a much needed nap. Her neck had a vicious crick in it that made it painful to turn her head to the right and her lower back felt wasn’t feeling much better, definitely a sign that she was no longer a spring chicken since she could have slept anywhere in the world in her youth and woke up feeling perky. Standing out on the sidewalk, she yawned loudly and stretched her arms over her head while deciding between locating food or going on home and falling straight in to bed. She had just made up her mind to skip eating breakfast, when the sound of her name being shouted caught her attention and caused her to turn look over her shoulder. Seeing Jacey running down the sidewalk, her skinny legs going as fast as they could in Sam’s direction, caused an honest to goodness smile to spread across her face. Squatting down to catch the incoming child in a hug, Sam laughed loudly when Jacey barreled in to her and knocked her back on to her rear on the sidewalk. “I take it you missed me last night?”

“I did! But, Daryl helped me with my homework and even played Old Maid with me before bed!” Jacey released Sam from the bear hug and took a few steps back to allow Sam to stand up.

“Daryl? What happened to Cassie?” Sam’s brow wrinkled in confusion since Cassie had stopped by the clinic with Jacey in tow the night before and promised to take care of her for the night. Glancing up from Jacey, Sam felt her heart skip a beat at the sight of Daryl slowly making his way towards them, having been left behind by Jacey at the entrance to the town hall after breakfast. When he was finally on the sidewalk in front of her, Sam asked, “How’d you end up with Jacey last night? Where’s Cassie?”

“I offered.” Daryl shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly as he affectionately reached out to tousle his little sister’s hair, the golden tendrils had adamantly refused to obey him when he tried to fix her hair that morning and now sprouted out around her head. “She was over at Rick’s, thought it made more sense for Jace to come home with me instead.”

“Oh, well, yeah…I guess so. Well, thanks for taking care of her.” Daryl’s gaze washed over her, no doubt taking in the sight of her rumpled clothes leftover from the day before and mussed hair, causing Sam to cringe inwardly at looking so unkempt in front of him. Of course, she reminded herself, that he clearly knew she had spent the night in the infirmary by Ryan’s bedside and not actually in the bed with him. And then, she had to chastise herself for worrying about what Daryl thought about her spending the night with Ryan. “Um, I know tonight’s usually your night, but since you had her last night we can change that up if you want?”

“Ain’t no problem for me if Jace stays over tonight, so long as it’s no problem with you?” Daryl looked down at Jacey and narrowed his eyes at her playfully. “Need to redeem myself anyhow, she slaughtered me at that damned card game. Plus, figured you’d be with Ryan.”

“Can I go see Ryan? Is he gonna be ok?” Jacey interrupted before Sam could answer Daryl. Tugging on Sam’s hand incessantly, she said, “Can I go now? Is he awake?”

“He’s going to be fine, sweetie, but Ryan’s sleeping right now. You’re Aunt Kris’s got him heavily sedated for the time being.” Sam explained the situation to Jacey and hated to see her deflate because she couldn’t go see him just yet. “I promise to take you when he’s gotten some rest, ok? Maybe tomorrow after school?”

“Pinky swear?” Jacey held out the tiny pinky on her right hand to Sam and smiled when the gesture was returned and Sam wrapped her pinky around hers. Temporarily satisfied with the promise to see Ryan the next day, Jacey returned to the scheme she’d been working on lately to get her mom and Daryl back together; something she’d held on to tightly, guarding the plan with her heart, and keeping it secret from everyone else. Slyly, she glanced up at Sam and asked, “I’m gonna miss you tonight. Think maybe you could come over to Daryl’s and tuck me in? Maybe play some Old Maid or something before going to sit with Ryan? I bet Grandma Donna would pack up some dinner for us, like she used to when we’d do picnics?”

“I don’t know, Jace.” Sam was instantly met with a pouty lower lip that had her reconsidering her position on keeping her distance from Daryl. She had noticed over the past couple of weeks how displeased Jacey seemed by not being able to spend time with both of them, always having to choose which table she wanted to sit at during meal times, but being around Daryl and not being with Daryl was just too difficult to deal with. Sighing softly, confused at what to do, Sam glanced up at Daryl and found him staring at her intently, which caused her to stutter over her excuse. “I don’t want to barge in on your time with Daryl.”

“Daryl doesn’t mind. Do you Daryl?” Jacey smiled brightly at her brother, already knowing full well the effect it had on him even after only being in one another’s lives for three weeks. With a face full of innocence, Jacey slipped her other hand in Daryl’s and connected the three of them together, one step closer to the happy family she envisioned in her dreams.

“Course not.” Daryl finally replied, his gravelly voice sending chills down Sam’s spine, just as it always had. Sam had to fight to not swoon at the sight of his half smile as he said, “Sam knows she’s always welcome there.”


	75. Chapter 75

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the reviews and kudos on last week's chapters!!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

__  
**Previously in the Present:**  
Sam and Ryan had a heart to heart after he woke up in the med center. Jacey convinced Sam to come over and tuck her in at Daryl's house that night.

The present: Tuesday afternoon, March 27th, 2012

That afternoon, the faint golden rays of daylight slipping behind the trees to rest for the evening, Sam walked hand in hand towards Daryl’s house with Jacey; her stomach was a mess of fluttering butterflies that grew stronger with each step taken. Daryl quietly led them through the empty streets, everyone else in town either at dinner, patrol or a run, while toting the basket full of food her mother had prepared. Thankfully, the tension that surrounded the adults didn’t seem to affect the small child between them, who rambled nonstop the entire time it took them to cross the town; filling them in on her day at school, the fight she’d had with a boy in her class over a box of colored pencils, what she’d eaten at lunch and finally, that Grandma Donna had let her pick out what foods to pack for the picnic.

After what seemed like the longest walk in history, the trio finally reached the house that Daryl had been assigned to, or rather, re-assigned to after all these years. Sam paused just under the carport, frozen in place as she stared at the house that she had once shared with Daryl. Standing there, on the carport that seemed oddly empty without the motorcycle that had once occupied the very spot where she stood, Sam realized that this was as far as she had been in relation to the house since she’d moved out of it nearly twelve years ago.

“You alright?” Daryl murmured, his voice deliberately lowered so that Jacey wouldn’t hear him, although he doubted it mattered very much since she was charging up the stairs without a glance over her shoulder. He glanced over at Sam, who was frozen like a deer caught in a car’s high beams and silent. “Sam?”

“Huh?” Sam asked distractedly, finally paying attention to Daryl. She mentally shook herself out of the daze and tried to ignore the feeling of his shoulder brushing against hers. “I’m fine.”

“You been here since then?” Daryl asked curiously, taking a chance on what was bothering Sam. He had been too excited at the thought of Sam spending the evening with him and Jacey, especially after how distant she’d been the past couple of weeks, that he hadn’t even thought about how being back in their old home might affect her.

“No.” Sam turned her attention back to the looming presence of the dark blue painted door in front of her and shook her head. The last time she’d been inside the house they’d shared was the day that she’d had to pack up all of their belongings by herself. “Not since I packed up everything, maybe a month after you left?”

“Shit. I didn’t think, Sam.” Daryl apologized and gestured over his shoulder, back towards town. “We ain’t gotta stay here. I can walk y’all back to your place.”

“No, it’s fine. I just honestly didn’t think it would be this hard.” Sam admitted, the honesty in her confession pertaining to more than just entering their old home. Putting on a smile, she gestured for Daryl to lead the way and said, “We’re losing daylight, we’d better get on this picnic thing if that’s what Jacey still wants to do.”

In the end, they resorted to having a picnic on the living room floor since Jacey got a little carried away with showing Sam her bedroom, pointing out all the toys she had decided would live at her brother’s house permanently, and proudly showing off the drawings she’d created and decorated the walls with. Sam tried not to let her gaze linger too long on the framed picture that sat on the nightstand next to her bed, a double frame with a picture of her and Jacey on one side, and one of her with Daryl on their wedding day. Sam had known that Jacey had found that exact picture in the apartment, tucked away in the trunk that doubled as a coffee table, and had brought it over, but seeing it lovingly placed by her bedside tugged at Sam’s heartstrings.

Once they had completed the tour of the house that was oddly familiar and yet, unrecognizable at the same time, they had returned to the living room to find that Daryl had laid an old plaid blanket he’d located in the closet down where their dining room table had once stood, pulled the food containers out of the basket and added a few candles to the mix. The overall effect was a little too romantic for Sam, but she obligingly sat down and accepted a glass of tepid water from Daryl while managing to avoid eye contact, not wanting to let on to how much this particular evening was effecting her.

“This is cool! I’ve never had a picnic inside before!” Jacey announced as she flopped down on the blanket and pulled her legs up to sit cross-legged, beside Sam and across from Daryl. “We usually do picnics on the roof and tea parties in my bedroom. Have you ever had a picnic inside before Daryl?”

“Yeah, once.” Daryl replied, his eyes seeking out Sam’s as he recalled their wedding night, when they had celebrated their union in the only manner they could afford…with a candle lit picnic in the living room. Although she avoided his stare, he could tell that Sam was thinking about that night, too, judging by the way she dipped her head to conceal the fact that she was blushing. He’d always enjoyed how easily she blushed and liked that he was still capable of being the cause of it. Turning his attention back to his sister, Daryl handed her a drink and said, “Been a long time though.”

Even after devouring the majority of food that had been packed up for them by Sam’s mother, juicy chunks of roasted foul, brown rice with an assortment of vegetables diced up in it, a freshly baked roll for each of them and even a couple of sugar cookies, they remained on the floor, sitting on the blanket and talking; although Jacey contributed most of the conversation. Eventually, silence filled the room and Daryl looked down to find Jacey fast asleep, with her head resting on Sam’s thigh. When Sam lifted a hand and placed it on Jacey’s shoulder, intent on rousting her, he stopped her and stood up.

“I got her.” Stepping around the basket and containers of food, he leaned down and effortlessly scooped Jacey off the floor and into his arms. With Jacey tucked safely against his body, he carried her through the house and into her bedroom the way he used to do when Sam would fall asleep on the couch long ago. Once he had her tucked in bed, he turned to leave, but was stopped by the sound of her sleep filled voice softly asking for Sam to come in and sing to her. Before going out to let Sam know, Daryl reached in to his pocket and retrieved his lighter so that he could light the candle beside the bed.

“Jace woke up. Asking for you.” Daryl announced when he came back in to the living room, hooking a thumb in the direction of the front bedroom. He was glad that Jacey had woken up and asked for Sam, there by prolonging her departure, which she was already preparing for by sitting down on the couch to start putting her boots back on since she had removed them for dinner. “Wants you to sing her to sleep.”

“Oh, um, ok.” Sam returned the well-worn brown boot in her hand to the floor and stood up. Slipping past Daryl, who was hovering in the threshold between the living room and the hallway, she said, “I’ll get out of your hair shortly.”

Daryl simply nodded, letting Sam ease past him towards Jacey’s room, instead of telling her that there was no rush. He turned and leaned against the door frame, his eyes following Sam as she entered the bedroom that was illuminated by a single flickering gold flame, and debated on following behind her. While he wanted to join them, he also didn’t want to barge in on a mother-daughter moment, so he opted to wait where he was.

Inside the bedroom, Sam motioned with her hands for Jacey to scoot over so she could join her on the bed and sat down beside her when she did so; propping her head up on an extra pillow and stretching out beside Jacey. “Any requests?”

“No ma’am.” Jacey’s voice was laced with sleepiness and muffled as she buried herself against Sam’s side. “Just sing until I fall back asleep.”

_“I search the valleys and mountaintops…Rolling hills and ticking clocks, were all I heard all that sound…never thought love could be found.”_ Sam’s voice was gentle, softer than it normally was when she sang as she soothed the child that she loved into a peaceful slumber. The song she chose was one she had started many years ago, long before she adopted the towheaded child snuggled against her, but had only been able to complete after Jacey was officially hers. _“I kept passing by every sign…Hoping one day I’d make you mine…We’d be laughing side by side…Darling, I’m thrilled to have you…by my side.”_

_“Wherever you are…whenever you need me…just crawl in my arms…Oh and I’ll hold you beside me,”_ Daryl crept closer to the open door to better hear the sweet sound of Sam’s voice, the loving words she’d chosen as a lullaby for the child she unconditionally loved. His eyes stung with hot tears as his mind conjured up a memory of how she used to sing softly to their daughter when she was pregnant, as she rocked in the chair that had once been used to lull her to sleep when she was a baby.

_“I want my love to surround you….I want my love to surround you. And I’ll sing it out…I want my love to surround you.”_ Sam stroked Jacey’s hair, something that was guaranteed to put her to sleep, and smiled as she started the last verse of the song. _“I search valleys and mountaintops…Rolling hills and ticking clocks, were all I heard all that sound…Never thought love could be found.”_

“Don’t go yet.” Jacey begged softly in between yawns. Snuggled against Sam, slipping one thin arm across Sam’s waist as she tightened her hold in an attempt to keep her from moving. “Just one more song.”

“Ok, one more.” Sam smiled, knowing that she was nothing but a pushover when it came to Jacey and pressed a kiss to the top of the child’s head while deciding on another song to sing; settling on something that her mother used to sing to her when she was little, instead of a song that she’d written herself.

Daryl wasn’t surprised when Sam moved directly in to another song without so much as an argument; she’d never been one to put up a fight when someone asked her to sing. He waited in the hallway, leaned against the wall just outside Jacey’s room while she sang what sounded like an actual lullaby this time. When she stopped to yawn midway through, he wondered when the last time she had gotten decent sleep was since it wasn’t that late and figured that Ryan’s sudden appearance last night hadn’t led her to getting much rest.

A few moments passed and the room was suddenly silent, Sam breaking off at an odd part of the song, and he peeked inside the dimly lit room to check on them. Realizing that Sam had fallen asleep while singing, he slipped quietly in to the room and grabbed hold of a thin knit blanket hanging over the back of the flowery chair in the corner to cover Sam up with, the fact that she never moved a muscle was proof of just how tired she was. Daryl leaned over and blew out the candle on the end table and exited the room as silently as he’d entered, easing the door shut behind him.

When he woke the next morning, the sun barely awake itself, Daryl wasn’t surprised to find Sam no longer sharing a bed with Jacey, who was still fast asleep. She had apparently woken up at some point in the night and slipped out of the house undetected. In the living room, staring at the remnants of their picnic, Daryl didn’t know what upset him more…the fact that Sam had left without saying goodbye, or that she would rather risk walking around in the dark unprotected, rather than wake up in the house with him.

*Song: Surround You by Echosmith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, had to share the awesomeness that happened to me this weekend...and will fuel my fantasies for quite a while.
> 
>  
> 
> [](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/12193366_10207324930544175_7647284450617504664_n_zpsksa2ixvn.jpg.html)  
> 


	76. Chapter 76

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the comments and kudos on the last chapter!!! Love, love, love them.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The present: Saturday, April 7th, 2012**  
_

A week and a half had passed since the night they’d shared a meal together and she subsequently left his house without saying goodbye. During that time, Sam had went back to her overtly polite, but distant behavior she’d favored since the weekend of her attack. Daryl was beyond frustrated with the distance between them, his need to be with Sam growing exponentially with each passing day now that she was back in his life, yet still worlds away from him.

Irritated by Sam’s behavior towards him, and confounded as to what he needed to do to change it, Daryl sulked as he glared at the couple at the front of the crowd that was currently reciting the vows they’d written to one another. He had no desire to be present at the ceremony, didn’t have the slightest interest in watching Maggie and Glenn declare their love for each other with happy smiles, but the promise of being near Sam had lured him out of his house that afternoon.

While he knew he should be happy for the couple, two members of his family who had experienced just as many hardships as he had since the outbreak and truly deserved at least this one moment of happiness, Daryl couldn’t push aside his irritation as they were declared man and wife. Maggie glowed in her borrowed wedding dress, a white lacy full length gown that hugged her curves, and Glenn was grinning ear to ear as he pulled her in to his arms for a deep kiss. The sight alone sent Daryl’s irritation spiraling straight into anger; suddenly jealous and hating the fact that they were happy and in love despite everything that had gone wrong in their lives.

Once the vows had been declared and the first kiss shared, Sam and her band took the stage. She instantly went to the piano that she’d managed to talk her brothers in to bringing outside, despite its weight and lack of wheels for easy relocating. Since the song she’d managed to come up with, writing furiously in the night when the rest of the town was slumbering, was written specifically with the piano there was absolutely no way she was going to ruin the sound by not using the instrument. Flipping up the cover, she grabbed the notebook she’d left on the bench and placed it so she could read the words; fairly certain she knew them by heart, but since she’d only written them earlier in the week she wanted to make sure they were exactly right when she sang them.

After declaring it time for the couple’s first dance as husband and wife, Sam smiled warmly down at them and said, “I wrote this for the two of you. I hope y’all like it.” Flexing her fingers, Sam placed them on the appropriate keys and began, _“How long will I love you? As long as the stars are above you…and longer, if I can.”_ Sam’s voice was soft, bordering on breathy, as she sang the first line of the song. A song that was supposed to be for the wedded couple, but if she allowed herself to be honest for half a second, was clearly written for Daryl. _“How long will I need you? As long as the seasons need to follow their plan.”_

_“How long will I be with you? As long as the sea is bound to wash upon the sand.”_ From where Daryl was sitting, Sam was in the path of his gaze as she sang the love song she’d written for Maggie and Glenn, yet somehow it felt as though she was singing it directly to him; their gazes locked on one another with each word. _“How long will I want you? As long as you want me to, and longer by far.”_

_“How long will I hold you? As long as your father told you, however long you say.”_ Sam broke eye contact with Daryl as she sang those particular lyrics, the ones actually written for the happy couple; the line she came up with after talking to each of them and hearing just how influential Herschel had played in their relationship. Once those lines were over with though, she looked back up and found him once more. _“How long will I give to you? As long as I live through you, however long you say.”_

_“How long will I love you? As long as the stars are above you, and longer, if I may.”_ The last of the song, the final lyrics sang directly to him from Sam’s heart, finally pulled Daryl out of the foul mood. As if Sam had to ask if she could love him forever, it was the only thing Daryl wanted, after all….except maybe the chance to have a family with her, if he was lucky enough.

Daryl desperately wanted to go to her. Wanted to charge up on to the stage and pull Sam in to his arms, but refrained. There was no need to resort to such caveman-like ways, especially since doing so would just upset Sam and that wouldn’t gain him any points with her. Remaining in his seat, slouched down with his arms crossed across his chest in a manner that would hopefully keep anyone from bothering him, Daryl waited as patiently as possible for a window of opportunity to spend even the briefest of moments with Sam.

When Sam turned the stage over to Clay and the rest of the band for a break, a bathroom one judging by the direction she was headed, Daryl realized this was his chance and quickly stood up from the chair he’d been sulking in for the entire ceremony and the whole first set of music and followed after her. Lurking in the hallway of the municipal building, he waited for her to come out so he could intercept her before she could make her way back to the stage.

When Sam exited, she gasped in surprise when someone grabbed hold of her and pulled her towards them; her eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat when she realized just who her captor was. “Daryl, you scared me.” She said breathlessly as she allowed him to tug her closer against his body. “What, um…what are you doing?”

“Dance with me.” It wasn’t a question, yet it wasn’t quite a demand and Daryl was elated when Sam didn’t object. The music outside filtered in through the open windows, an upbeat tune he didn’t recognize.

“This isn’t exactly a slow dance type of song.” Sam pointed out, her heart racing in her chest, thumping rapidly against her breastbone as Daryl’s hand circled her waist and pulled her against him to sway softly to the music.

“Don’t know any other kind of dance.” Daryl murmured, his voice soft yet gruff as he whispered to her. He tightened his hold on her, one arm around her back while his other was pulled up between them, holding her hand as they swayed slowly in the darkened corner of the otherwise empty hallway.

“I remember.” Sam was instantly transported to a time long ago, when they’d first gotten married and they’d danced in the living room, slowly and clinging to one another in the flickering golden glow of candles. Glancing up at Daryl, she blushed when images from the rest of that night projected in her mind. When their gazes connected, her breath hitched when faced with the look in his eyes, and she knew that look well; that heavy lidded look of desire he got moments before he was going to kiss her. He dipped his head, his lips closing in on hers in a way that Sam wanted, needed, but yet, she still found herself recoiling from the contact. At his questioning gaze, one full of rejection, she pulled further away from his embrace and stammered, “I can’t…we can’t.”

“Why the hell not?” Daryl demanded as he took a step towards Sam, not letting her run away like she normally did. Trapping her between the wall and himself, Daryl lifted a hand to gently caress her, softly brushing the tips of his fingers across her cheek, and said, “Kiss me, Sam.”

His words were demanding, but his voice was soft, gentle and warm, as he slipped his hand from her cheek to the base of her neck and pulled her towards him. Sam whimpered involuntarily as his lips covered hers, the taste of him familiar even after all these years. Her hands slid up his chest to clutch at the soft material of his shirt as she gave in to his demands.

Daryl moaned low in his throat when Sam melted in his arms and gave in to his embrace, her lips parting slightly so he could slip inside and taste her. He buried his hand in her hair, and grasped the other at her hip, pulling her as close to his body as possible. Lost in the taste of her, loving the feel of Sam in his arms once more, he didn’t notice that her hold on him had changed. Sam was pushing against him now, her small hands pressed against his chest as she struggled to escape his embrace, and Daryl loosened his hold on her lightly so he could ask her why, so he could plead with her to stay with him. “Don’t, Sam. Don’t fight me. Don’t run.”

“I can’t, Daryl. I…I have to go.” Sam shook her head, her words clipped and rushed as she tried to slip past him. Her heart was in a war with itself, she desperately wanted to be in his arms once more, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to survive another heartbreak when he inevitably left her again. Blocked by him, his arm stretched out beside her with his hand flat against the brick wall, Sam sighed and glared up at him. “Just let me go, Daryl.”

“No.” Daryl leaned in towards her again, putting his other hand on the wall to trap her between his arms in hopes that Sam would stay there. “I let you go once, ain’t making that mistake again.”

“You let me go?” Sam asked as she glared up with him with fire in her eyes, incensed at his words. “You didn’t let me go, Daryl. You left! You didn’t want to be married to me anymore, so you walked out. You…you didn’t even have the decency to ask for a divorce to my face! You just sent some stranger to my house with divorce papers without a care in the world as to what that would do to me.”

Daryl’s brow furrowed with confusion as he stumbled back from Sam after she shoved her hands against his chest with all of her might. Regaining his composure enough to reach out to her before she could run away, his hand circled her bicep a little rougher than intended, but if that’s what got her attention, then so be it. Growling, he pulled her towards him and ground out, “I ain’t never sent you no divorce papers. Seems to me you need to get your facts straight.”

“My facts are straight enough. You left. You wanted the divorce. Not me.” Sam struggled in his grasp, both hands now circling both of her arms tightly. The intense look in his eyes burned through her, an odd mix of what appeared to be anger and confusion. When Daryl continued to just stare down at her, his silence bordering on threatening as she realized just how long it had been since she’d experienced his anger, Sam raised her hands as far up as she could and pushed against him while furiously repeating her demands. “Let me go!”

The conviction in her words, the anger in her voice, made Daryl realize that she truly believed what she was saying. It was then he understood what had happened, where the confusion was coming from. Daryl loosened his hold on Sam’s arms, but kept his hands circled around her biceps. Fully aware that he was pushing his luck, he lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers once more, angrily kissing her despite the fact that the gesture wasn’t returned; her lips were stiff and unyielding beneath his. Before fully letting Sam go, he growled, “I’ll let you go. This time. But you’d better damn well go find your beloved father and get your goddamned facts straight.”

Without bothering to question his demands, needing to put distance between them over finding out what he was talking about, Sam turned and bolted from the hallway; the heavy metal door clanging against the wall loudly as she jerked it open and disappeared from sight. Left alone in the near darkness, the sunlight from the open windows along the front of the building not quite reaching the rear of the hallway, Daryl yelled and punched the wall in front of him; cursing the man that had lied to his daughter simply to end a marriage he hadn’t approved of.

*Song: How Long Will I Love You by Ellie Goulding


	77. Chapter 77

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the 2nd post for tonight, so double check and see if you read chapter 76, too! I thought I'd be nice and post an extra chapter since I didn't post my usual Sunday night one due to being in Atlanta for WSC. Thanks a bunch for the kudos and reviews!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Previously in the Past:**  
_ Sam was ran off the road by a drunk driver and ended up losing the baby. Daryl was mysteriously absent during the whole ordeal and had yet to be found...

 

_**The past: Sunday, January 16th, 2000** _

 

Dinner had long since passed, trays already collected and off to be cleaned, by the time Sam regained consciousness. After being checked over by the doctor on rotation for the morning shift, she had been given a generous dose of medications to ease the pain that tormented her body and soothe the ache that pierced her heart. Groggily, Sam forced open her eyelids, which seemed to weigh a thousand pounds each thanks to the medication, and looked around the room; her blurry line of sight landing on the bulky figure of someone sitting in a chair near the foot of the bed. Assuming it was her husband, Sam's dry mouth caused her voice to be hoarse as she asked, "Daryl?"

Jim Collins hated to see his baby girl lying in a hospital bed, tucked beneath the stark white bedclothes that reeked of bleach, looking smaller than she normally was; more like the child he often remembered her as. Pale and bruised, Sam's lower lip quivered with sadness as he edged the chair closer to the head of the bed and she realized he wasn't her husband. "No, baby girl. It's just me. We haven't been able to find Daryl just yet." Leaning forward in the chair, he rested his forearms on the bed and felt his heart break at the flicker of sorrow in his daughter’s eyes upon hearing that her husband still wasn't there for her.

"Why are you here?" Sam asked, tears slipping out of the corners of her eyes to slip down her bruised skin. She tore her gaze away from her father's, not wanting to see the despair in his eyes. Lashing out at the only person in the room, needing a way to unleash the pain she felt inside, Sam took it out on the father who had all but abandoned her four months ago. With a voice that dripped with bitterness, she stared at the IV stuck in the back of her right hand and asked, "Come to make sure I really lost my baby? Make sure you don't have to be ashamed of me anymore?"

Feeling as though he'd been stabbed right through the heart, and knowing full well that he deserved his daughter's scorn after the way he had treated her as of late, Jim let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding in. "I'm here because you're here, baby girl. I'm here because I love you." He wanted to reach out and take her hand in his, but he didn't...couldn't...thanks to the cast that covered Sam's slender arm from just below her elbow all the way to wrap around her hand. Lifting his hand up to her face, he gently swept a lock of bloodstained blonde locks away from her eyes and said, "I am so sorry for everything I put you through. You didn't deserve that, Samantha, and I will never forgive myself for pushing you away like that."

With tears streaming down her face, Sam turned her head to look at her father and found his face full of sincerity and his eyes filled nearly to the breaking point with sadness. She opened her mouth to tell him that he hurt her, that she loved him and would try her best to forgive him, but the sound of the door opening interrupted her. Eagerly anticipating the arrival of her husband, Sam glanced sharply at the door expectantly, only to see Lindy poke her head in.

"Hey, sweetie. How're you feeling?" Lindy sat a small tray with Jell-O and chocolate milk on the table, before moving over to Sam's bedside to check her monitor. "You slept through lunch, not that you'd have liked it anyway...the meatloaf is not that great here. However, I did snag you some lime Jell-O and chocolate milk, if you're interested?"

"Have you found Daryl yet?" Sam ignored the offering of food, her stomach was too knotted with anxiety to eat anyway. One glance at the clock on the wall showed her that he had been gone far too long for a simple drive up to Atlanta and back. What if he was hurt? "He should've been back by now, he promised he'd come home."

"I'm sorry, but we haven't managed to track him down just yet." Lindy frowned, highlighting the tiny line of age between her eyes, and glanced over at her father in law. "Why don't you go walk around, Jim? You've been cooped up in that chair for hours. Tyler and Donna are down in the cafeteria still."

"Sounds like a good idea." Jim stood up and pushed the chair out of the way, knowing he was being dismissed so that Lindy could examine Sam. Glancing down at Sam before he left, Jim asked, "You need anything, baby girl?"

"Daryl." Sam replied instantly without a moment's hesitation. Her father shook his head lightly, not bothering to vocalize his thoughts on his son in law's whereabouts as he slipped out of the room, which was probably for the best, and closed the door behind him.

Tossing out the professional behavior she had with other patients, Lindy perched a hip on the edge of the bed and rubbed the blankets that were covering Sam's thigh. "I didn't figure you remembered much about this morning, the talk with the ER doctor and the police?" When Sam shook her head slightly back and forth, confirming her suspicions, Lindy explained, "You were ran off the road, drunk driver hit you nearly head on. He went on to wreck about a mile away after you went through the railing. Upon noticing all of the red paint on the crushed quarter panel of his truck, the officer questioned him as best he could and ascertained he'd hit another car. After about an hour, give or take a few minutes, they located your car down in a ravine. You were upside down and partially submerged in a creek. Once they got you out of the car, you were airlifted here. Do you recall any of the wreck?"

"Not really. Mostly just a bright light and this horrible crunching sound, but that's it." Sam's guilt about driving so late at night, alone and exhausted, plagued her soul and tore at her heart. If only she had taken up Ryan's offer to find a vacant room for her, instead of driving home. Sam scraped her teeth across her bottom lip, and fretted over her next question for a moment. "If they'd have found me sooner, would she have lived? Would I still have my baby?"

"Oh, Sam...Sweetheart. I can't say for sure. Maybe? Have you ever heard of placental abruption? Know anything about it?" Lindy lifted Sam's right hand in to hers gently, careful to avoid the IV line on the back side of it. When Sam shook her head and said she hadn't, Lindy explained, "It's when the placenta separates from the uterus. Sometimes it's just a partial tear, but with yours, due to the impact of the wreck, it separated completely. We aren't sure just how long you were down there, but the longer it's left untreated the more your baby was deprived of oxygen. By the time you got here, sweetie, you were already bleeding heavily and in labor. She was already gone before then, Sam. She wasn't alive when you delivered."

Sam nodded her head morosely as Lindy's words confirmed what she vaguely remembered; the searing pain of her other injuries only intensified by the agony of labor. Between the head injury and the medication, her thoughts were jumbled and fuzzy, but there was still the painful memory of being in labor and finding out her baby had died. Glancing down at her cast covered arm, Sam murmured, "What about my other injuries?"

"Fractured radius, near the head of the bone, and in the scaphoid bone, which is your wrist." Lindy paused as Sam lifted her left arm to inspect the cast, and hated seeing the realization of what those injuries meant register in her face. Not only had she lost her baby, but it was very likely she had lost the ability to play the guitar, as well. It would take eight long weeks, plus physical therapy after that, before they would know the end result. Moving forward, she motioned towards Sam's head. "Air bag deployed, probably when you hit the guardrail, the impact hit you in the face with the way the car was lurched forward. Nothing broken, but your nose and eyes are bruised heavily. You've got about a six inch gash just above your ear, there was glass in it from the busted T-tops, and you've got fifteen staples in it. And, lastly, two broken ribs on your left side."

"When can I go home?" Sam asked, her voice hollow as she blankly stared down at her casted arm. Everything hurt, every single part of her body ached, and all she truly wanted was to go back to her house, take a bath and curl up in bed with her husband's arms holding her tight. Of course, for that to happen, they'd have to locate Daryl first.

"Maybe tomorrow. Elaine, um...Dr. Summers, said she'd stop by again in the morning to see how you're doing." Lindy slipped off the bed and stared down at Sam, the sister in law that she treated as though she was her own child, and noticed the tense jaw and wince of pain as she tried to adjust her position in bed. Reaching over to the tray of food, Lindy located the small cup located between the bowl of green jiggling gelatin and carton of milk and held it out to Sam. "Here, it's time for your pain meds."

Sam obediently took the two oblong white pills and washed them down with a gulp of chocolate milk. If she couldn't be with her husband or in her own home, she'd just sleep away the time until she could. She let Lindy adjust the blanket around her and push her hair back over the top of the pillow and closed her eyes, the meds not kicking in just yet, but she wanted to be alone. Sam heard her sister in law fiddle with the IV stand briefly before leaving the room; turning off the overhead lights before quietly shutting the door behind her.

Sunday faded away and slipped in to Monday. The arrival of the midnight hour meant the streets of Collins had long since been rolled up for the night and were now empty and dark as Daryl nosed his motorcycle towards home. He had not a doubt in his mind that he was going to catch an assload of hell when he walked through the front door, but knew he deserved every ounce of anger that Sam unleashed on him. The originally planned quick trip to Atlanta had turned sour as soon as they'd crossed over in to the city limits; an unmarked patrol car flashing his blue lights at them as they sped past had turned in to a pursuit that led them down unfamiliar roads. After having the fortune of losing the police, they'd had to figure out where they were and try to navigate their way to their original destination, which ended up taking a lot longer than expected.

Once they arrived at the dilapidated home on what was definitely the wrong side of the tracks, their fleeting good luck vanished and was replaced by a spray of bullets as the paranoid, drugged up, washouts inside the house freaked out and opened fire on them. While his bike was dinged up, Daryl had escaped unscathed, but Merle had received a nasty flesh wound to the right shoulder; not that the injury slowed him down. Quite the opposite actually, the searing pain of a bullet wound ignited that famous Dixon temper and an all-out brawl had broken out in the front yard. Amazingly, everyone had come out alive, but Daryl was now sporting a black eye and a split open bottom lip, along with what felt like a few bruised ribs.

As if those two mishaps weren't bad enough, they had both been informed that they weren't going to get paid since the delivery was a good eight hours late. Of course, the dealer was generous and offered them a chance to make it up to him; which was a kind way to say they were going to do another run for free or they wouldn't be making it home. Therefore, he and Merle had been forced to carry on to the north Georgia state line to meet another delivery and take it back to Atlanta before they could cash in on their delivery fee. It was, all in all, the worst weekend of his life.

Pulling in to the driveway, Daryl frowned when he realized Sam's car wasn't home. Groaning, he figured he was really in the doghouse and she'd gone to stay with family or Cassie to let him know just how upset with him she really was. Killing the engine, Daryl crawled off his bike, utterly exhausted and in pain, and trudged up the stairs to let himself in to the darkened house. Tossing his keys on to the table, he flicked on the kitchen light and noticed a sheet of paper on the counter. Figuring it to be a letter from Sam expressing her displeasure, Daryl snatched it up and read it, which didn't take long since it just stated she couldn't wait for him any longer and had to leave without him. Cursing, Daryl realized he had completely forgotten about the wedding and his promise to be home in time to drive her there. Daryl crumbled up the paper and tossed it into the garbage can as he stalked towards the bedroom. The red flashing light on the answering machine caught his attention, so he stopped and jabbed a finger at the machine to playback the messages.

He never got around to listening to all of the messages saved up on the tape, the first one had him grabbing his keys and running out of the house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed. Next update will be Saturday night.


	78. Chapter 78

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the reviews and kudos on last week's chapters!! Love them all! Since Fallout 4 comes out Tuesday, I will not be at work that night to post because I am a dork and need to play video games all night. So, I will post Sunday night. Monday morning and then another Monday night so you guys aren't shorted an update.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Previously in the Past:**  
_ Sam woke up to find her father in the hospital room with her instead of Daryl, who was still missing in action. Daryl finally returned home, heard the message about Sam's wreck and was on his way to the hospital.

 

_**The past: Monday, January 17th, 2000** _

 

Barely an hour had passed since he'd torn out of the house like his rear was on fire and the fact he'd made it all the way to Macon without getting pulled over was damn near a miracle. Helmet in hand, Daryl ran through the hospital, pausing only long enough to ask an elderly woman behind a desk for directions. Out of breath and frantic, he cursed his nearly pack a day smoking habit as he fell against the cool wall of an elevator and gulped in lungful’s of air. When the elevator stopped and the shiny metal doors began to open, he waited only long enough for them to widen enough for him to slip through. He crossed the lobby in a few purposeful strides and entered the area of the hospital that Sam was supposed to be located. Daryl jogged forward, spotting two nurses in pale blue scrubs talking down the hallway, and skidded to a stop only inches away from them. Nearly breathless, he choked out, "My wife? Sam...Samantha Dixon? Where is she?"

"Sir, I'm going to need you to calm down and lower your voice...patients are sleeping." Nurse #1 chastised, the urgency in his voice doing nothing to faze the seasoned medical professional. After a pointed look at Daryl, she indicated towards the desk at the further down the hallway. "The nurse at that station can find that information for you."

Without bothering to offer any thanks, Daryl hustled towards the desk in question and, upon finding it empty, banged his fist irritably against the top of it. Growling his frustration, he cursed and turned around to see if the nurses were still at the other end of the hallway, but came face to face with Jim Collins instead. It had only been four months since the patriarch of the Collins family had cut his daughter out of his life, but in that short time, James Collins had aged dramatically in Daryl's opinion. His dark hair was now liberally speckled with gray, the lightened areas around his temples consuming a larger portion of his hair line, exhaustion was smudged beneath his eyes in semi-circles and puffiness, the fine lines around his eyes were deeper, but the grim line of his mouth and the tension in his jawline showed that his contempt for his son in law hadn't wavered since the last time they'd spoken.

"Sam? She ok? Where's she at?" Daryl blurted out, pushing past the feelings of contempt he held for Sam's father, his sole focus firmly placed on locating her; his worry refused to be satiated until he laid eyes on her. He didn't miss the way his father in law's eyes skimmed over his appearance, taking in the bruised face, blood speckled shirt and ripped pants; his expression laden with judgment.

"Daryl, it's about time you showed up." Jim's voice was dripping with disdain as he clutched the thin paper cup of lukewarm, mediocre coffee in his hand and willed his hand not to tighten around it any harder, for it would likely burst beneath his anger. "They've been trying to locate you."

"I'm here now, ain't I?" Daryl didn't bother to ask who 'they' were, knowing Jim was referring to anyone that clearly wasn't himself. They stared at one another for a moment, tense silence crackling between them as they both tried to stamp down their anger and hatred for one another. Relenting, reminding himself that he was here for Sam, that they both had a common interest in this horrible situation, Daryl sighed in resignation, lowered his voice to a more calm level, and asked, "Where is she? What happened?"

"She's asleep. Room at the end of the hall." Jim nodded towards the lone room at the end of the hallway, where the door was slightly cracked open. He'd only vacated the hospital room long enough to locate something caffeinated to keep him awake a little while longer, not wanting to go to sleep in case his daughter needed him. He'd offered to stay with her that night, ushering his wife and sons out of the room and home to rest, with the promise of one of them relieving him in the morning. Of course, he hadn't let on that he had no intention of leaving until his daughter was released. He'd spent enough time without her already. "Sam was in a car wreck last night, after she left the wedding reception. Got hit by a drunk, ran her off the road. Flipped over down an embankment, the car came to a stop on its side in the creek below. She had to be airlifted here."

Daryl felt as though the wind had been knocked out of him as Jim explained what had happened to Sam. Staggering backwards slightly, as though the impact of Jim's words had a physical effect on him, Daryl shoved a hand through his dirty hair and glanced worriedly down the hallway towards Sam's room. Shakily, his voice was barely above a whisper and laced with concern as he asked, "The baby? She's ok, too?" Tears filled his eyes as the expression in his father in law's gaze told him the answer he hadn't wanted to hear. Nodding remorsefully, Daryl lowered his gaze to the floor while turning on his heel to go find his wife.

Jim watched Daryl walk away from him, shoulders slumped and head down, and actually felt sorrow for the man who'd been the bane of his existence for months. While there was nothing about his son in law that Jim Collins liked or respected, he couldn't help the sorrow that washed over him. No matter his feelings for his daughter's husband, he knew what it was like to lose a child as he had experienced it with each miscarriage his wife had before finally getting pregnant with Samantha; their miracle baby.

Standing outside the partially open door, Daryl froze with his palm flat against the smooth wood. Would Sam even want to see him after everything that had happened that weekend? Hell, it wasn't like things had been flowing smoothly for a while now with them and there was no doubt that the stress of this weekend's events wasn't going to offer any assistance to their tenuous relationship. Mustering up the courage to face his wife after letting her down so horribly, Daryl pushed open the door enough to creep inside the dimly lit room; the fluorescent light in the bathroom slipping around the cracked door to offer up at least enough illumination to navigate the room without bumping in to the furniture.

Crossing the room, Daryl stood next to the hospital bed and simply took in the sight before him as Sam slept. Seeing her battered face pained his heart, the dark bruises clearly visible even in the absence of a light filled room, but he knew it was the injuries he couldn't see that hurt Sam the most; the loss of their baby. Daryl eased around the bed and claimed the chair that her father had obviously been sitting in before going for coffee. Sinking down on to the chair, he leaned forward and tried his best to hold on to the tips of her fingers that were poking out from beneath the cast on her left arm and waited for Sam to wake up.

By the time Sam woke up, groggy and sore, it took her eyes a moment to adjust enough to realize that the person sitting next to the bed, fast asleep with their head leaned over on to the bed next to her, wasn't her father. A ghost of a smile crept on to her face as she reached out with her casted left hand and smoothed her fingertips across his hair; the pain from the movement pushed aside long enough to touch her husband and make sure he was real and not a figment of her medicated mind. Of course, he was such a light sleeper that it didn't matter how little pressure she applied to the gesture, Daryl woke immediately and looked up towards her. Registering the bruise that covered his right eye and the blood crusted gash on his lower lip, Sam's brow furrowed in confusion. "What happened?"

"Huh? Oh, um...nothing. Just some assholes I ran in to. It's nothing." Daryl brushed past the explanation, because he wanted to wait as long as possible to tell Sam the truth and avoid her disappointment in him. Looking up in to her bruised eyes, his own filled with sorrow and guilt, he murmured, "I'm so sorry, baby. I...I should've been there. Been here sooner."

Sam wanted to unleash all of her pain on him for not being there for her, with her, but when faced with the chance to do so, all of her anger suddenly faded away to be replaced with heart wrenching grief. Tearing up, her lower lip quivered as she tried to apologize for leaving without him, because if she hadn't then maybe the wreck wouldn't have happened and she wouldn't have lost their baby. When she opened her mouth to express her guilt, her words were replaced with sobs. Crying earnestly, her physical pain pushed aside to allow her mental and emotional anguish to escape. "Our baby...I lost our baby." Her words were barely distinguishable between the gut-wrenching sobs that wracked her broken and battered body.

Needing to give his wife comfort, and seek some for himself, Daryl stood up and pushed the chair backwards with his boot. Easing a hip down on the bed, he leaned back on to the narrow bed with her and gingerly pulled Sam into his arms. As she sobbed against him, his shirt dampened quickly beneath the onslaught of her tears, and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, careful to avoid the shaved section covered in staples. "It ain't your fault, Sam." He murmured with his lips pressed tenderly against her hair. "Ain't none of this on you."


	79. Chapter 79

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the reviews on the last chapter!!! I will post chapter 80 before I leave work in the morning.

 

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

__  
**Previously in the Present:** __  


__

_**_**The present: Saturday, April 5th, 2012** _ ** _

The wedding celebration wrapped up just before dinner, which was where everyone was heading except for Sam, who exited stage left and hightailed it out of the center of town before anyone could stop her. So intent on her destination, she left her guitar sitting on stage, something she'd never done before. However, her mission was greater than her beloved guitar at the moment.

Sam ran as fast as she could, her trusty cowboy boots were well worn, but not exactly the best footwear for sprinting the entire distance to her parents’ house. While they were still in town, she intended on thoroughly searching her father's study for the copy of hers and Daryl's divorce papers that she was fairly certain were still kept there. Sprinting up the front steps, she realized the front door was locked and in her haste, her key ring was back at the apartment. Jumping down from the porch, she tore around the side of the house, slipped through the privacy fence gate that was thankfully unlocked, and tried the music room window with the trusty broken lock that she had never clued her parents in to. Pushing the window open, she placed her hands on the ledge and pulled herself up, something she hadn't done in ages.

Inside her father's study, Sam moved the framed diploma that hung beside the door and grabbed the key to his file cabinet that rested on the same nail as the picture frame. Crossing the room, she took the time to light a lantern since night wasn't too far off, before crouching on the floor to open the cherry wood cabinet door that hid the double row of metal drawers behind it. Using the key, Sam opened the top drawer and started looking for the documents that had the ability to change everything she'd believed in for the past twelve years.

By the time her family returned, her mother and father having their monthly sleepover with the younger grandchildren that night, Sam was livid. Sitting in her father's favorite leatherback chair, her face was flushed red with anger and her cheeks were stained with salty tears. Calling out to her father, Sam waited for him to enter the study with the folder containing her divorce papers clutched tightly between her shaking hands.

"Sam? What on earth are you doing here?" Jim asked, his voice full of concern at the sight of his daughter since she had disappeared and skipped dinner. While the room was solely lit by one lone lantern on the desk, there was enough light for him to register the angry expression on his daughters face, as well as the blue folder that she held on to. Realizing what was going on, he sighed and sank down in to a chair across from his daughter and scrubbed his hands across his face, while collecting his thoughts. Eyeballing the folder, his voice was wary as he finally spoke. "I figured he'd have mentioned it sooner."

"So, it's true? You're not going to deny that Daryl never sent me divorce papers?" Sam's voice shook and was laced heavily with her bitter disappointment in her father. "You did this? What gave you the right?"

"I just wanted you to be able to move on." Jim offered no other explanation for his deceptive behavior, as there was none. Back when he had his son, Josh, draw up the divorce papers, his plan had been to have Daryl sign them under the illusion that it was what Sam wanted, but when those plans were thrown off course by his son in law's adamant refusal to sign anything unless Sam was the one handing him the papers, he'd had to figure out something different. "I'm sorry, Sammie. I thought I was doing what was in your best interest."

Sam's mother chose that very unfortunate moment to poke her head inside the study to check on them, which only directed her daughter's fury towards her. Glaring past her father, Sam shook the folder at her mother and snarled, "Did you know, too? Did you know Daddy did this?"

"Your mother didn't know. She had nothing to do with this." Jim stepped in before his wife could express her concern and confess to her suspicions. He knew Donna wasn't one hundred percent sure of his deception, but knew his wife well enough to know that she had probably figured it out long ago. Glancing over his shoulder at Donna, he waved her off. "Leave us alone, please. Sam and I need to talk."

"You know, we really don't, Dad." Without even waiting for her mother to shut the door, Sam pushed back the chair angrily. Clutching the folder in her hand, she walked around the edge of the desk and pinned her father with a look of utter disgust and disappointment. "I don't even know how you managed to pull this one over on me, but you know... mostly I just blame myself for trusting my father. I clearly shouldn't have."

The door slammed shut behind him with enough force to rattle the picture frames on the wall. With a heavy heart, Jim didn't bother chasing after his daughter and in hopes of begging for her forgiveness. He knew that what he did was unforgivable. Leaning forward in the seat, he put his head in his hands and let the regret he'd been harboring for his behavior in the past fall from his eyes in hot, salty tears.

In the foyer, Sam ran headlong in to her mother, who was skulking in the shadows of the room only lit by a few candles. Tears of bitter rage spilled down her cheeks and her body was shaking with anger as she allowed her mother to wrap her arms around her in comfort. Sobbing against her mother's shoulder, dampening the rosy lightweight sweater with her tears, she begged, "Please tell me you didn't know."

"I didn't know, baby. Not for sure." Although she knew that admitting her suspicions would mean the risk of her daughter's wrath, Donna needed to tell the truth and unburden her soul. When Sam stood up and wiped her eyes, Donna nervously wrung the dishtowel between both hands and admitted, "I had my suspicions over the years, baby girl, never truly believing that Daryl would resort to divorcing you, but he did leave...so I thought maybe I was just reading something in to the situation that wasn't there. I'm sorry, Sam, I should have questioned your father, gotten him to tell me the truth."

"Yes, you should have." Sam sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "But, like you said, Daryl did leave, so it wouldn't have changed anything, right? Well, except that we're still married." And then, finally realizing the implications of what she'd found out tonight, Sam's eyes widened. "Oh my God, I never got a divorce. Daryl and I are still married."

"Seems to me the two of you have something to talk about then." Donna's spirits lifted marginally at the sight of the small smile on her daughters face. When Sam looked past her shoulder, towards the kitchen where the kids were having dessert, she motioned her towards the front door with promises that Jacey would be just fine. "Go on, go find Daryl and talk to him." Grabbing a small key ring from the mosaic bowl by the front door, she handed it to Sam and said, "Take the cart and be careful. I love you."

After what seemed like the longest ride to the other side of town, Sam parked the golf cart in the driveway of Daryl's house and sat there for a moment, suddenly lacking the courage she'd had on the drive over. Wiping her eyes once more, she grabbed the folder off the seat beside her and walked up the driveway with it clutched against her chest. Bypassing the walkway that led to the front door they had rarely used when they lived there, Sam was halfway to the side door when Daryl called out to her. Turning towards the sound of his voice, she caught sight of the burning ember in the darkness that she'd missed.

"You ever gonna learn to not run around at night by yourself?" Daryl ground out, shaking his head at Sam's stubborn streak that clearly hadn't faded over the years they'd spent apart. Taking a long drag from the half of cigarette he had left over from a couple of days ago, he exhaled slowly while crushing the glowing tip out beneath his boot. Standing up, he headed down the cracked concrete walkway towards Sam, who hadn't said a word in response to his question. "What're you here for anyhow?"

"I...I talked to my father. Like you told me to do." Sam's heart thumped in her chest, her nerves on the verge of a complete breakdown. Handing over the folder, as though he could read the documents inside of it in the near darkness, the sliver of moon visible over their heads not near bright enough, her voice shook as she said, "We're still married."

"Yeah, I know."


	80. Chapter 80

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 79 was posted Sunday night, so make sure to read it first just in case you missed it! :)

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The present: Saturday, April 7th, 2012**  
_

 

"Of course, you knew. I...God, I don't even know what I'm doing." Sam crossed her arms around her body, holding herself protectively while her brain worked furiously to understand all of the information she'd learned that night. Laughing bitterly, she turned her head away from Daryl's stare and realized her life was a damn soap opera. "I don't know how any of this happened, Daryl."

"Come on inside, we'll talk. Sort it out." Daryl motioned towards the house with the folder, and when Sam started to object, he pointed out the audience they were collecting with each passing moment they stayed outside. Hooking a thumb towards the house next door, the one that Rick shared with his family, where the movement of a curtain could be seen thanks to the glow from the candles inside; they were clearly being watched. "Longer we're out here, more likely we get a bigger audience."

"Yeah, okay." Nodding her head in agreement, Sam took a step towards the house and felt the comforting touch of Daryl's hand against her lower back. Silently, they entered the darkened kitchen and she stood uncertainly near the entrance while he pulled a lighter from his pocket and lit the pile of candles from their picnic that were now gathered in the center of the coffee table. Moving from the kitchen, Sam fell back on to the navy blue couch, one that was covered in tiny mauve flowers, and pulled a throw pillow on to her lap, covering her body with it by clasping it to her chest. When Daryl took a seat next to her, leaving one cushion separating them, she asked, "I didn't wait for my dad to explain, couldn't stay in that room with him any longer...not after he admitted to lying to me about the divorce. Can you, I dunno, fill in some holes for me? What happened between the two of you?"

"Came over to your parents’ house to see you, try and get you to talk to me...Jim said you didn't wanna see me. Pulled me in to his study, shoved the papers at me…said you wanted a divorce." Daryl remembered the day as if it had just occurred, recalled just how angry he'd been when he realized what Sam's father had handed him. "Told him only way I'd sign was if you were there, said it wasn't gonna happen unless you gave 'em to me yourself. He got pissed, screamed a bit about what a worthless piece of shit I am, before offering me money to sign."

"Daddy offered you money? How much?" Sam tried to swallow the lump that was stuck in her throat and shook her head at Daryl, interrupting him before he could answer. "No, I don't wanna know what he offered you. I wanna know why you didn't take it? If you were gonna leave anyway, why not take the money?"

"Wasn't planning on leaving." Daryl shrugged and glanced away from Sam, focusing on the flickering candles instead. Between the dark curtain of hair and the shadows created by the candles, Sam couldn't see his face or the expression full of regret and hurt that covered his face. "Stayed around a couple weeks after that. Left messages, came by, they said you refused to see me. Eventually, I gave up. Too damn soon, but hell...didn't figure you was gonna change your mind anytime soon."

"I didn't get any messages, Daryl. Not one, well, not any at my parents’ house. I promise." Sam turned to face him, pulling one knee up on to the couch. "Only message I got was at home, our home...here. It was when I came to pack up the house a little over a month after you left, um...after I thought you'd left me." She paused, waiting to see if he'd stop staring at the candles and turn his attention back to her. When Daryl kept his head low, avoiding her gaze, Sam edged closer to him and pushed aside a swatch of hair so she could see his face. Finally, he glanced over at her, merely cut his eyes towards her, but she took what she could get. "I called you back. As soon as I got the message, I called you back, but you were already gone. Daryl, I didn't want us to be over. I just thought you wanted it that way."

This whole time he thought Sam had avoided him because she didn't want to see him, but hearing that it was because she didn't know that he was still in town waiting to hear back from her changed everything...or almost everything. Turning to face her fully, giving Sam his complete attention, his voice was gruff and gravelly as he asked, "Why'd you sign them then? The papers? You wanted us together so bad, why the hell you'd sign? How'd you not know I didn't send 'em?"

"It wouldn't have mattered. I got the papers after I got your message. You were already gone, really and truly gone." Tears burned in her eyes, as she filled him in on the day she had received the divorce papers. "To be perfectly honest, I don't really remember much about it. I was, um, well...pretty messed up. You know how I was after Emily, and then you leaving...I fell apart. I totally shut down, Daryl. It was worse than before you left, I went weeks without hardly sleeping or eating, just lying in bed. I was existing, just barely, and I didn't even want to do that. It wasn't so much that I wanted to die, I just wanted the pain to go away. I wanted to just not have to live with the hurt anymore. And then, a couple weeks after our fight, after I thought you had left me, Mom made me see a doctor, a shrink. I was so doped up on anxiety meds and muscle relaxers that I'd have believed anything my Dad told me that day. He said you sent them, pointed out where I needed to sign and I did. I trusted him completely."

As the tears started to fall down Sam's cheeks, Daryl stared at her helplessly. There wasn't anything he could do to fix what had happened between them, nothing he could do to change the fact that her father had been a major cause of it and broken her trust in him, but he could offer the only thing he had...himself. Opening his arms, his heart rejoiced when Sam came to him willingly; straddling his lap, leaning over to rest her head on his shoulder, her arms loosely wrapped around his neck. Her hair tickled his nose as he tightened his hold, pulling her closer to his body. Reaching up, Daryl brushed the hair back over her right shoulder and, before his mind could process what his heart wanted to do, he pressed a soft kiss against the slender arch of her neck. When Sam didn't object to the feel of his lips on her skin, Daryl placed a series of gentle kisses along the soft skin, moving from the slope of her neck up to the delicate dip near her earlobe.

She stilled in his arms, her breath hitched and her skin was alive beneath the tender touch of Daryl's lips. When he nuzzled against her neck, pressing a final kiss just below her earlobe, Sam pulled back ever so slightly and found his eyes in the flickering golden hue of the room. Her face was streaked with tears as she sniffled, yet under the weight of his stare, she felt beautiful. Her mind screamed at her to get up, to put distance between them, that just because they realized that miscommunication and betrayal from her father were the main reasons they were apart, that there was plenty of other topics they needed to discuss before she even considered falling in to bed with him, but Sam brushed the thoughts aside and focused on what her heart was saying. Because, when it came to Daryl, things between them had always been better when she thought with her heart and not her brain.

The golden flames from the candles behind Sam created an almost angel-like glow around her body. Slipping his arms from around her back, Daryl moved his hands so that they were resting on her arms, just below her shoulders, and looked up at her. Misreading her expression, he shook his head lightly side to side and whispered, "Don't go. Stay with me."

Dipping her head down close to his, Sam brushed her lips across his and murmured her answer against them. "I'm not going anywhere." Daryl tightened his hold on her, circling his hands around her arms, he pulled her tightly against him and Sam's body came alive beneath his touch in a way she hadn't felt in years. Crushing her mouth against his, the urgency, the need, in her kiss left them both breathless. She slid her hands up his arms and buried her hands in his hair, tangling them in the thick dark tresses, deepening their embrace. The feel of his body pressed against hers, the taste of him in her mouth, had her body humming with desire.

Lowering his arms, Daryl slid his hands up Sam's denim covered thighs, circled her narrow waist and slipped beneath the soft material of her lavender shirt. She trembled and moaned against his mouth as their tongues tasted one another at the same time his hands caressed her bare skin. Sliding his hands around her back, he dipped his fingers beneath the gap of her waistband at her lower back, running them along the edges of her lace topped panties before ghosting his fingertips along her spine, back up towards her bra.

Clarity came to Sam's mind about a half second before Daryl had her shirt off. Pulling back from his lips, she regretfully shook her head and stilled their movements; highly reminiscent of their early days of dating. Of course, the excuse this time was very different from those days. Blushing, although it was barely detectable beneath the flush of desire that painted her skin, she pressed her forehead against his and closed her eyes. "We need to stop, or rather, pause for a bit."

"Yeah, okay." Daryl knew they were moving too fast, he was capable of logical thinking, but the throbbing in his pants was another story altogether; his other brain was not able to use logic. Removing his hands from beneath her shirt, he smoothed it back in place and rested them at her waist while he tried to calm his breathing...and other parts; which was difficult with Sam still straddling him.

"It's not that. It should be, but it's not." Needing to desperately put space between them for the moment to allow her hormones to subside, Sam slid off Daryl's lap and flung herself across the cushions with an exasperated sigh. She could feel his curious gaze on her, wanting to know what her reasoning behind stopping was if not due to them moving too fast. Laughter bubbled up inside and one giggle escaped before she clamped her hands down on her face to hide the embarrassment that flamed up inside. "I haven't shaved. We have to stop because I haven't shaved!"

"You're kidding, ain't you? Hell, I don't give a damn if you've shaved or not." Shaking his head in disbelief, Daryl pushed his limits and tortured himself by leaning over to rest on his elbows above Sam; her legs pressed on each side of his hips and their over excited centers shoved against one another. Torture, no doubt.

"No, I mean, I haven't shaved in a very long time. A very, very long time." She pinned a very pointed look up at him and decided to just spill all of her embarrassing secrets. "I stopped shaving when I stopped having sex...and that was a while ago, like shortly after the outbreak."

"But, you and Ryan...y'all, you know?" Daryl was certain his mind wasn't processing what his ears heard correctly and blamed it on the lack of blood flow to his brain. Cocking his head to the side, he stared down at her with narrowed eyes and tried to piece together what Sam was trying to tell him...it had been a long time since he'd had to decipher her thoughts.

"Yes, we...you know, not a lot seeing as how we'd just started dating again before the outbreak. When I ran out of birth control pills that was a good enough reason for me to put the brakes on the sex." She lifted her shoulder slightly to shrug. "I didn't want to risk getting pregnant."

"Didn't want to get pregnant period, or didn't want to by him?" The words were out of his mouth before he could cram them back inside. Cringing, Daryl tried to backpedal, knowing it really wasn't any of his business what she did or did not do with Ryan, didn't matter how curious he was. "Sorry, it ain't none of my business."

"It's okay." Sam lifted a hand to caress his cheek lightly before brushing back the long hair that fell around his face. The truth of the matter was, she was scared to get pregnant because she couldn't go through losing a baby again, which wasn't logical since losing Emily had been due to a car wreck and had nothing to do with her body or capability to carry a child. Illogical? Absolutely. But it was how she felt. And, add in the painful truth that while she loved Ryan dearly, she was never in love with him enough to have a family with him. Keeping those thoughts to herself, she simply stated part of the truth. "I just want it to be on my terms next time."

The thing was, if she wasn't hairier than a Wookie at that exact moment, she'd have made love to Daryl in a heartbeat; with or without protection. And, that thought frightened her to the core. They'd only just found one another again, had only started mending the hurt that had broken them apart, there was no way in the world they were ready to move that quickly again...not like the first time. But, as she lay beneath him and stared up into his eyes, Sam couldn't find the willpower to stop what was inevitably happening between them; they'd always been drawn to one another like magnets. Plus, she had waited far too long to be back in his arms, to the only place that had ever felt like home, and...She was tired of running.


	81. Chapter 81

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews on the last chapter. Muse is very happy with all the attention! As I stated the other day, I will be off work tomorrow (Tuesday) for a video game release, so there will not be an update then. Sorry for the trouble, but I have been waiting about 6 years for Fallout 4 to come out and I must sit in my living room, wear flannels, eat junk food and play video games for no less than twelve hours tomorrow. Work was out of the question, for sure, and that means my internet connection won't be available. 
> 
> Back to the Past for some super depressing angst. Surely you guys need it after all that fluffiness in the last chapter, right?

 

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Previously in the Past:**_ Sam had a car wreck, lost the baby and no one could find Daryl. He finally showed up the next night and Sam was able to push aside her feelings of anger and abandonment to accept his comfort, but as you all probably figured out already...that isn't going to last very long. This was a difficult chapter to write, so be forewarned, lots of sadness.

 

__

_**_**The past: Wednesday, January 19th, 2000** _ ** _

Wearing the color of grief, of loss, of heartache, Sam stood by her daughter's shallow grave and stared blankly at the mound of fresh dirt that covered it. She had no more tears, they'd dried up earlier in the day to leave her with the hollow pit of despair that only the death of a loved one could leave; an empty hole in her heart, a piece of her soul torn from her body, a hollowness that tore at her heart...the death of her daughter before she'd even been given a chance to live.

He stood next to her. Vigilant. Sam clutched at his hand, but refused to accept any further comfort, her grief and misplaced guilt radiated off her and hit him in waves that threatened to suffocate him. For the past two days, since she had been released from the hospital, the house had seemed empty to him even though she was there next to him. She'd scarcely eaten, her only rest coming in the form of slumber that narcotics could provide, her body filled the rocking chair in their daughter’s room, but Sam did not. For Sam, his Samantha, was no longer there.

Daryl's heart broke at the sight of her hollow stare that was no longer covered by the sunglasses she had put on at the church to hide the bruises that marred her face. At Sam's request, the only thing she'd asked for since leaving the hospital, the only people present at their daughter's funeral was family; only her parents, brothers and their wives and children, and Cassie. He'd thought about reaching out to his brother, the only family he had left in this world, but had decided against it, not wanting to further upset Sam with the presence of the man he'd been with when she was all alone and their baby girl was dying inside her.

They stayed there long after the burial was complete, darkness falling around them as the day turned to night. The bitter cold of winter's night air seeped through the cemetery to chill them to the bone. She was shivering beside him, the silky black button down shirt offering no resistance to the elements. Slipping out of his sport coat, something he'd had to go out the day before and purchase specifically for the occasion and something he knew without a doubt would be tossed out immediately after returning home, Daryl rested it around her narrow shoulders. When Sam angled her head questioningly towards him, he realized she hadn't noticed the cold, so immersed in her grief that she was oblivious. He reached out for her then, slipping his hand from hers to wrap his arm around her back and pull her against his side. "You're shivering." He explained, his voice gentle and soft as his lips murmured against her hair.

"Oh." Was her only response. Daryl hated how stiff Sam was beside him, her spine straight and hands clutched against her chest, wrapped around a white rose she'd taken from the casket before it was lowered in to the ground. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he hated to even broach the subject, but evening was approaching faster and faster with each passing second and it wouldn't be long before they were in the middle of the cemetery in the pitch of night. "Come on, let's go home."

She wasn't ready to leave, but let Daryl lead her away from the grave anyway. Making decisions wasn't something she wanted to deal with at the moment, her heartache and sorrow only wanted to curl up and die, thus leaving everything else in life pale in comparison. Mutely, she stayed tucked against his side as they weaved through the tombstones towards the black sedan they'd had to borrow from her parents, his motorcycle not the best choice for a funeral and her car had been a total loss. When Daryl closed the passenger side door he had opened to let her inside, Sam leaned her face against the cold glass of the window and continued to stare out into the nothingness with an expression that held even less.

It was later that night, the still hours of early morning actually, when she finally spoke to him. Daryl had awakened to find Sam standing by their bed, he wasn't surprised to find her not in it with him, more so shocked that she was even in the room with him. Leaning over, he clicked on the lamp and asked, his voice thick and gruff with sleep, "Hey, why don't you come to bed?"

"Where were you that night?" She'd had enough of his vagueness and now that the horrible task of burying their daughter was complete, the nagging thoughts in her mind finally consumed her with enough curiosity to seek out the answers.

"Sam, baby, we don't need to talk about it tonight. It's been a long day, you're exhausted." Scooting over in the bed, Daryl pulled down the bed covers and reached out to Sam, praying that she'd take his hand and offer to return back to bed with him. Standing there, her blonde hair dull and lifeless, eyes glazed and unfocused, petite frame nearly swallowed whole in navy colored sweats from college, Daryl thought she looked like she might just collapse from exhaustion at any moment.

"No, you may not need to, but I do." Shaking her head, her voice was as flat as her eyes as she looked past him, somewhere over towards the corner of the bedroom as though looking at him was too difficult. "I need to know, Daryl."

"Told you I was with Merle. Helping him out." Daryl's heart clenched, he'd been hoping they could avoid this particular conversation, but should have known that it was inevitable. "Sam, just come to bed, we'll talk tomorrow."

While she might have spent the better part of the past three days heavily sedated, her mind wasn't so cloudy with the drugs that she couldn't piece together what his secrecy had to involve, what with the bullet holes in his beloved motorcycle, and the black eye and busted lip? Whatever Daryl had been doing with his brother clearly wasn't upstanding, and was likely weighing heavily on the side of illegal, considering what she knew about Merle. But, Sam wasn't going to relent until she heard it from her husband’s mouth. "Tell me."

"Shit, Sam. I fucked up, okay? Can't we just let it go for now? You’ve been through hell the past couple days….so have I. Damn it, I lost my daughter, too." With his back pressed against the headboard, Daryl pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes and sighed heavily. "I fucked up. I'm sorry."

"Just tell me what was so damned important!" Sam screamed, her voice cracked beneath the force of the sound, the swirling vortex of unstable emotions coursing through her finally bursting forth. Her fingers curled in to fists, sharp pains seared up her left arm from the broken bones in her wrists that were screaming in agony against the motion, her body shook with barely controlled anger and tears, hot and salty, stung in her eyes. It was almost a relief to feel something other than sorrow.

When her eyes finally met Daryl's, he saw the truth in them, realized that she knew what he'd been doing and needed him to admit to it nonetheless. Staring her from their bed, Daryl took in the sight of her bruised face, the tears streaming down her battered cheeks, the shaved section of hair and Frankenstein stitching along the gash above her ear, and, most importantly, the rage that was directed towards him; hot and seething. A strange feeling of happiness washed over him, albeit fleeting, as he took notice of the anger that momentarily replaced her sadness.

Ducking his head in shame, he admitted the truth to her, his voice gravelly and laced with guilt. "I've been running drugs, um…meth up to Atlanta with Merle. Got let go from the garage after Christmas, needed to make quick money. Usually it ran smooth, drive up and drop off, but didn't go that way this time. Got chased by the police, shot at when we tried to deliver, had to pick up another package to get paid."

"You could've told me you got laid off, Daryl. I have money, plenty of money." Sam registered the confusion on his face and realized she'd never mentioned the trust fund her grandfather had set up for his grandchildren before his death years ago. "I don't have it right now, it's in trust until I'm twenty five, but I could've went to my parents. They could’ve sign off on me getting it early."

"Yeah, 'cause your dad was gonna let that happen." Daryl replied bitterly, shoving aside the blankets since sleep was clearly no longer an option, he stalked across the room and snatched the jeans that were thrown over the back of the arm chair and tugged them on. "Don't need your parents damn charity. I can support my family on my own."

"Clearly." Sam's reply was filled with sarcasm, feeling only contempt for her husband at the moment. Even the sight of him shirtless, the top button of his well-worn jeans unbuttoned and his hair rumpled, something that would have had her body tingling with anticipation only a few days ago, left her cold now. Wiping at her face with her right hand, she winced at the pain from pressing down too hard on the bruises from being hit in the face with the airbag, and blinked back yet another wave of tears that threatened to spill. "So, thanks to your pride, you weren't there for me Saturday night when I needed you to drive me home. You weren't there for me after I wrecked and you weren't there when our baby died. Way to go on that support of us… your family, but I guess Merle was all that mattered, huh?" Without bothering to wait for Daryl's reply, Sam turned on her heel and marched back to the unfinished baby room at the other end of the hall, where she reclaimed her perch in the rocking chair and tried her best to let the anger raging through her push aside her own guilt that had plagued her since waking up in the hospital.

If only she had taken Ryan's advice on getting a room at their hotel then she wouldn't have been on the road, wouldn't have fallen asleep and swerved back on the roadway, and wouldn't have been in the path of the drunk driver that hit her.

__If only..._ _


	82. Chapter 82

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the reviews on last weeks chapters! I should be back to my regular posting schedule of Sunday/Monday and Tuesday nights at least for a while.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Previously in the Past:**  
_ Sam and Daryl buried their daughter. Later that night, Sam confronted Daryl in regards to his whereabouts on the night of her wreck.

 

_**The past: Thursday, April 20th, 2000** _

 

Days turned in to weeks, weeks passed by and turned in to months, and during that time Daryl stood by and watched helplessly as the woman he loved with all of his heart slipped away from him; the distance between them spanning a chasm. Gone was the woman he married, the luminous, loving, affectionate Sam that filled his heart to the point where it threatened to burst from sheer happiness. Her bright emerald green eyes no longer sparkled, only reflecting the pain, grief and sorrow that her heart felt. Her hermit-like behavior evident in the sallow pallor of her skin, the rosy cheeked hue of youth and happiness absent since she refused to go outside unless she had to go to work, which was only three days a week. The lack of appetite now caused her clothes to hang limply on the once supple body that his hands had once explored at great depths.

It had been three months and three days since the day their baby girl had died, but the heartache, anguish and sorrow plagued Sam each passing day since that fateful moment and Daryl had no idea how to save her. Her nights were spent staring off in to space in Emily’s bedroom and falling asleep on the couch long after Daryl had declared defeat for the evening, giving up on getting her to come to bed with him. Most days were spent alone, with only the pain in her heart to keep her company, while he was at work, having found part time work at a garage just outside of town. Then there were days like this morning, where she appeared to be doing better, until you noticed the hollow look in her eyes and the smile that didn’t reach them.

“Morning. Did you, um…sleep okay?” Daryl asked timidly, walking on egg shells around Sam as she slipped past him to get something to drink before work; knowing full well that she likely hadn’t slept well at all on the couch. Dressed in a pair of beige dress pants and a powder blue button up shirt that had both probably fit her well once upon a time, she didn’t make eye contact with him, simply nodding her response, as she filled a travel cup with tap water. Scrubbing a hand over his face, his eyes weary and brimming with concern for his wife, Daryl took another stab in the dark at trying to get her to talk to someone, anyone at all, so long as she talked to someone about the pain that was eating her up inside, killing her slowly day by day. “Sam, baby…I’m worried about you. Think maybe it’s time you talked to someone, got some help?”

“I already told you no. I’m not going to talk to some shrink, Daryl. I’m fine.” Sam shook her head, her response spoken quietly, but firmly, as she eased past him once more and headed towards the carport door; knowing in her heart that she would never be fine again. To her, unless there was a doctor she could visit that would magically make all the pain vanish, or, better yet, make her memories disappear, then maybe. She certainly wasn’t going to go to a shrink’s office just to sit around and talk about her feelings and worries, because talking about them wouldn’t make them go away.

“Sam,” Daryl’s voice cracked as he said her name, heartbroken and distraught at having to resort to the only option he had left. His begging and pleading had fallen on deaf ears, but maybe an ultimatum might work; maybe, just maybe, the thought of losing him, too, would get Sam to agree to get help. When Sam glanced over her shoulder at him, the words got stuck in his throat, but he forced them out, albeit painfully; his heart breaking just a little bit more with each word. “Sam, I…I can’t live like this no more.”

Sam had thought that her heart couldn’t hurt any more, but hearing his words proved her wrong. Pain pierced through her heart as she turned to face him. The past few months had literally been the worst days of her life, and logically she knew that it wasn’t Daryl’s fault, or her own, that Emily had died as a result of the wreck, but for some reason, she couldn’t get past placing the blame on the both of them. However, her anger refused to listen to logic and raged inside her over Daryl’s lies, the betrayal she felt over him being with Merle instead of her the night of the wreck, the fact that she had to suffer through that night without him. As a result, she had shied away from him, refused to sleep in the same bed, denied him the affection she had once showered on him, and blatantly put as much distance between them as possible. She knew it was wrong, but for some reason that she couldn’t firmly place a finger on, she pushed him away.

Except for that one night. That one night when she'd gone to him in hopes that their love could create another life and fix the empty hole in her heart. But all the hope in her heart had been dashed away when she had gotten her period a few days later and it had seemed that the pain in her heart had magnified since then.

Turning around, fully facing him now, Sam squeezed her eyes shut, blocking the sting of tears that threatened to fill her eyes, and felt her anger creep up at Daryl’s proposition, his threat. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she slowly opened her eyes and stared at her husband with little warmth resonating in her gaze. Lifting her chin defiantly, having never been one to appreciate being given an ultimatum, she clutched the kitchen counter for support and felt a little dizzy as she coldly replied. “Don’t guess you have to. It’s not like there’s really any reason for us to be married, right? I’m not pregnant anymore.”

“You think that’s why…” Shaking his head at the absurdity of Sam’s reply, Daryl pushed aside the anger that swelled inside as he snatched his keys off the counter and stormed across the small space towards the door that she had previously been about to exit. He’d put up with a lot of shit from her, hell…even her family, and yet he had stuck by her through it all and now Sam was spouting off some bullshit about the pregnancy being the only reason he’d married her? Stopping with one hand on the doorknob, he glanced back to glare at Sam with eyes full of the ire and disbelief and ground out the only response he could think of before slamming the door shut behind him. “Fuck you, Sam.”

It seemed as though the entire house shook when Daryl stormed out of the house, leaving a shell shocked Sam standing in the kitchen with a wide eyed expression. Several minutes passed before she was able to move away from the spot where he’d left her, tears now flowing rapidly from her cheeks as she gasped for a breath that seemed elusive. Her heart thumped in her chest and she swayed from the dizziness that only intensified at the sound of his motorcycle speeding away from the house. Sinking to the floor, Sam huddled against the counter with her back pressed against it and her legs pulled up to her chest until the wave of panic that gripped at her chest subsided enough to let her crawl towards the phone and call in to work.

Kicking off her shoes, she stripped out of the work clothes and left them in a trail as she made her way towards the bedroom. Pulling on one of Daryl’s shirts, letting the smell of him that clung stubbornly to the fabric despite being washed soothe her nerves, Sam crawled in to the bed he’d only recently vacated and pulled the blankets up over her head to block out the world around her.

Night had long since fallen outside, the bedroom was blanketed in complete darkness by the time she finally crawled out of bed. After a quick search of the house proved her suspicions that Daryl hadn’t returned home after work. Feeling worse than she thought she ever could feel, Sam sank down on to the couch and turned on the television, immersing herself in a rerun of a show from her childhood, and waited for him to come home. Twelve episodes passed, barely noticed by Sam, and the clock in the kitchen showed that it was long past midnight. With a heavy heart, she had to admit to herself that Daryl wasn’t coming home that night…she just hoped he’d be there in the morning.

But, sadly, he wasn’t there when she woke up the next morning, the bright rays of sunshine mocking her gloomy demeanor. Sam stood up from where she had fallen asleep on the couch and went to the door to see if Daryl’s motorcycle was outside. Fully aware that doing so was absurd since the loud engine would have woken her up if he had returned, but did it anyway and found the results she expected. Turning away from the door, chewing furiously on the ragged nail on her thumb, she fretted for half a second before running towards the bedroom to put on clothes and go try to find him.

Dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, disheveled hair pulled into a messy knot on top of her head, Sam navigated her way through Collins in search of Daryl in her brand new bright blue Audi TT, paid for with the money from insurance on the one she crashed, as well as a little extra from her father. Guilt money, she had concluded upon receiving the check, but accepted anyway. After checking the places she thought he might be, and a couple she doubted he would be, Sam sighed when faced with the realization that she was going to have to check the place she was certain he was located, a place she had no desire to go…Merle’s. With her lip curling with disgust, she turned left at the next red light and drove towards the mobile home park where her brother in law lived, the trailer he used to share with Daryl and consistently got kicked out of and yet always seemed to talk his way back in to. After several miles and a set of railroad tracks, Sam pulled in to the parking spot in front of Merle’s trailer, her tires crunching on the gravel below, and felt a wave of relief at the sight of Daryl’s motorcycle parked next to his brother's. Shoving the car in park, she let the door slam behind her as she darted up the gravel walkway and knocked on the cracked front door.

A few moments passed, agonizingly slow, while her knocks went unanswered. Banging on the door more forcefully, she eyeballed a nearby window and was halfway considering crawling through it when the door finally opened. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of his face staring back at her and guilt gnawed at her upon seeing the dark circles of exhaustion beneath his eyes. Smiling up at him hopefully, Sam missed the look of worry that flashed across Daryl’s face as she pushed past him in to the dimly lit living room. “I’m so sorry about yesterday. I…I don’t know why I said that…things have just been so bad, and I just lashed out. Please say you’ll forgive me?”

When the sound of loud banging rousted him from an alcohol induced sleep coma, the last person he expected to find on the other side of the front door was Sam. Just the sight of her standing there, hair a mess and dressed in clothes he knew she’d worn at least twice that week, with an actual smile on her face delighted him more than words could express. Hearing her words, her fast spoken apology, had his heart soaring with hope, but as her pleas for forgiveness trailed off and the smile on her face faded, Daryl followed her line of sight over his shoulder towards the second bedroom and felt every ounce of hope fade from his body. Whipping his head back around towards Sam, his eyes were wide as he tried to explain the situation. “Sam, no…it ain’t what it looks like. She ain’t here…”

Sam couldn’t believe her eyes when the door to one of the bedrooms opened and a half-dressed woman, if you could call a tank top and underwear dressed, sauntered out in to the living room headed towards the bathroom without a care in the world. Daryl’s old bedroom. Vaguely familiar, Daryl’s explanation faded away as Sam’s brain recognized the curvaceous redheaded woman as the same one that had been at their house when she’d come to tell Daryl she was pregnant. Tearing her eyes away from the scantily clad woman, Sam turned her attention back to Daryl with every intention of screaming at him, but the fight drained out of her. Blinking back the tears, Sam started backing away from Daryl towards the door; flight winning out over flight as she darted from the residence.

“Sam!” Daryl screamed her name, desperation creeping in to his voice as he darted out the door behind her; shirtless, barefoot and his blue jeans unbuttoned. Chasing her down the gravel walkway, his hand circled around her thin arm seconds before she reached her car. Grabbing her more forcefully than he intended to, he winced when Sam turned around and lashed out at him, hitting him in the chest as hard enough to cause the keys in her hand to scratch his chest upon contact. “She ain’t here with me. Came back with Merle’s woman, damn it! I didn’t fuck her.”

Shaking her head in disbelief, Sam jerked her arm out of Daryl’s grasp and started back towards the car. The image of the bedroom door opening, the barely dressed woman stumbling out and the state of disarray the sheets on the bed flashed through her mind, and suddenly she couldn’t breathe. Tears spilled over her lashes and her chin trembled as she stared up at her husband, taking in his disheveled hair, lack of shirt and unbuttoned jeans, and scoffed bitterly. While the fact that they had only had sex one time in the past three months was solely her fault, her heart too broken after finding out she hadn’t conceived that one night in February when she had went to him in hopes of mending the gaping hole in their marriage, she knew that leaving him deprived wouldn’t lead to anything good. “Yeah, sure. I’m not stupid, Daryl.” Yanking open the car door, she looked up at him with rage in her eyes and let the words she would soon regret slip from her mouth.

“I wish I’d never met you.”


	83. Chapter 83

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the reviews on last night's chapters. Apparently there was some confusion about some of the chapter details, so let me clear up a few things. First, while Sam is a bit spoiled, she did not go out and purchase a brand new car when they could barely support themselves. It was stated that her father covered the difference from what she got from the insurance company and bought the new car out of guilt. Secondly, Daryl did not cheat. He was worried about what Sam would think about finding that woman in the house with him, more specifically in the bedroom he once occupied, but he did sleep on the couch and remained faithful to Sam. 
> 
> Hope that clears up a bit for you guys. On to the next chapter in the Present!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Previously in the Present:**  
_ Sam confronted her father about the divorce papers that Daryl sent over and found out the truth, that her father had her brother draw up the papers and presented them to Sam under the guise of Daryl sending them. Sam went to see Daryl and told him they were still married, which of course, he already knew. They are finally together, but Sam wants to take things slow and not rush into anything because they still have a lot to work through. Plus, she's afraid that it won't work out and Jacey would be hurt by that.

 

_**The present: Saturday, April 7th, 2012** _

Caught in the midst of a war between rational thinking and pure, unadulterated lust, Sam tangled her hands in Daryl’s hair and moaned with desire as his lips captured her lips once more. His hands were on her skin, buried beneath the soft cotton of her sweater, and caressing his rough, calloused palms across the smooth plane of her trembling belly. Logic screamed at her, trying to remind her to slow things down and take the time to get to know one another again, but the passion burning inside her demanded to be satiated by the only man who had ever been able to tame the fiery beast of sexuality that lived deep inside her body.

Finding her voice, Sam murmured breathlessly against Daryl’s lips between kisses. “Slow. Need…so much…slower.” Her words spoke of logic, but her actions spoke of so much more as her hands refused to listen to her own commands. Momentarily lost in the feel of being in Daryl’s arms once again, Sam gave in to the needs of her body and surrendered to the aching need that was barely contained, dangerously simmering just below the surface. Until, that is, the delicious feel of his lips closing around one pert, aching nipple sent shock waves throughout her body and rocketed her back to sanity. “Daryl, please…we need to slow down.”

Groaning in frustration, Daryl gave in to Sam’s requests, reluctantly removing his lips from her breast and collapsing on top of her; resting his head on her belly as she struggled to catch her breath. Daryl mumbled against the heated flesh of her stomach, his scruff lightly scratching across her skin as he spoke, “Feel like I’ve been here before.”

“Same house, different couch.” Sam chuckled as she vividly recalled the first night Daryl had brought her to his new house, sneaking her out of her parent’s house in the middle of the night to make out for hours on his leather couch. He made no effort to move from where he was laying, cheek pressed against her tummy with his hands lightly clutching at her waist, and that was fine with Sam. Softly playing with the long strands of his hair, her voice was timid, light as she asked the question that had to be mentioned. “What are we doing? I mean, us…this?”

“Replaying the torturous days when we started dating?” He replied quickly with a good natured chuckle, remembering the weeks he’d spent on the verge of blue balls during the early days of their relationship. A playful smack on his head from Sam had him rearranging his head, resting his chin on her stomach so he could look up at her, and growing serious. “What do you want it to be? You know what I want.”

“Yes, I distinctly felt what you wanted pressed against me a moment ago.” Sam put both of her hands on the side of his face and brushed back the thick swath of hair that covered it. While she adored his long hair, it was too easy for him to hide behind it and obscure his expressions from her. “But, in all seriousness, is this just a sex thing or what? Because I don’t just do sex, Daryl.”

“I want you, and it ain’t just about sex. I want you, Sam…us. Don’t tell me you didn’t know that by now? I’ve been damn obvious about what I want here.” Pulling down the sweater he’d shoved up over her breasts, hating to see the lacy pink material of her bra disappear from sight, Daryl sat up and reached out a hand to Sam to pull her up to a seated position; figuring his claims of wanting something other than sex would be a bit more convincing if he didn’t have his head buried against her partially naked chest. “Look, I ain’t gonna lie, a month ago…Hell, last thing on my mind was a relationship. But, then I ended up here, with you and well…things changed. Seeing you again, made me realize why I’d been fighting so damned hard to live after everything went to shit. Don’t believe in fate or none of that, but maybe I’m wrong for that. Maybe this is where I was supposed to end up? I know I don’t deserve a second chance, but that’s what I want.”

“Good thing I’m a second chance kind of girl.” Sam’s smile was warm, but soft as she intertwined her fingers with his. “I guess if you’ll give me one then I could return the favor, but…slow, like, slower than last time. I mean, we haven’t seen each other in twelve years, we can’t just jump back in to this without a care in the world. Slow.”

“Slow. Got it. We can do slow.” Thinking they’d been there and done that, back in their younger days when both of their hormones had been running a bit more rampant than they were now, although they weren’t exactly behaving at the moment. Reaching out with the hand that wasn’t wrapped around Sam’s, Daryl brushed aside the thick locks of honey colored hair falling over her shoulder and started to lean in to kiss the gentle slope of her neck when he noticed her expression. Stopping midway, he asked curiously, “What? Neck kissing ain’t allowed either?”

“It shouldn’t be. Always leads to other things and we’re trying to avoid other things right now.” Impulsively, Sam closed the small gap between them and pressed her lips against his and almost let herself get lost in the taste of him. She never would have believed that she actually missed the taste of cigarettes, but apparently she had…or maybe it was just when that particular flavor was on Daryl’s lips? Pulling back before they barreled headlong down the road she wanted to avoid for the time being, Sam answered his original question by adding in a final stipulation. “And, I think we should keep this between us for the time being.” Seeing the flash of hurt on Daryl’s face, hating that she was once again putting him, their relationship, in the shadows of secrecy, she quickly explained her reasoning, “I just want to know where it’s going before Jacey finds out. I don’t want her to get hurt if we don’t work out.” There was also the fact that she didn’t want to have to hurt Ryan any further than she already had thus far, but Sam kept that thought to herself.

“Fair enough.” Daryl reluctantly admitted, several moments of silence filling the area between them before he finally spoke. The first time Sam had asked him to remain a secret had started out being fun, sexy, and mysterious, but had quickly escalated to an area where he’d just felt like she was ashamed to be with him. And, this time started out in that same location, hurt flashed through his heart at her words, instantly feeling as though Sam was once again embarrassed to be involved with him, but upon hearing her reason behind doing so he had to admit that it made sense. While he had no intentions of letting Sam go this time, of letting their relationship fall apart, he had to at least consider Jacey’s feelings if it somehow did end badly. Lifting the corner of his lips, he peeked up at Sam and grinned devilishly as he leaned forward towards her neck once more; peppering the smooth column with open mouthed kisses between each word spoken. “Slow…slow as you like…just us.”

Tilting her head to the side to allow Daryl all the access he needed to lavish attention to her neck, the hairs of his scruff sending tingles across her skin with each brush against her skin, Sam sighed and bit her lower lip; once again caught in the battle of wills between her logic and passion. Finally, logic won out, or maybe fear, since she didn’t want jump head and heart first back in to the same patterns of behavior they’d done the first time around. Reaching up, Sam pulled Daryl away from her neck and chastised him lovingly; letting a throaty laugh bubble up while doing so. “You’re clueless as to what slow means, aren’t you?” Brushing a kiss across his lips, she let go of him and started to stand up, but was immediately pulled back down on to the couch. “It’s getting late. I need to get to my parents’ house, I promised Jacey I’d be there when she woke up.” Not that Sam wanted to go to her parent’s house after what she had went through with her father earlier, but she wouldn’t break a promise to her daughter just because she didn’t want to see her father. Jacey loved that man fiercely and Sam would do anything in her power to make sure the feelings of deceit and heartache Jim had inflicted on her wouldn’t ricochet on to her daughter.

“No, you don’t. Jace is asleep at your parent’s. Stay here.” Closing the gap between them once more, Daryl captured her lips and leaned forward, slowly pressing Sam back against the cushions. Now that he had her in his house, willing to give their relationship a second chance, he didn’t want to let her go. He didn’t want to risk the chance that during the light of day she might change her mind. “I’ll make sure you and that ridiculous golf cart make it to your parent’s house before daybreak.”

“No, sir, me staying here is just going to lead to more kissing and that’s just going to lead to naked time.” Sam wriggled out from beneath Daryl, mentally cursing herself for listening to the logical part of her brain. Grabbing his hands, she tugged him off the couch and started pulling him towards the door. “Plus, when I do end up in bed with you again, I plan on not having furry legs…amongst other things.”

“Told you that don’t mean shit to me.” Daryl planted his feet, digging the tread of his boot soles against the wooden floor to halt their progression towards the exit that Sam was intent on escaping through. Tugging her towards him, he finagled his arms around her waist despite her protests and tried to nuzzle her neck again; remembering that the tender dip just below her earlobe drove her wild. Smiling against her neck, Daryl tightened his grip on Sam, hardening at the sound of her breathy moans and feel of body pressed against his. “See? You don’t wanna go nowhere, do you?”

“Want? No. Need? Yes.” Mustering up a resistance she rarely possessed when it came to Daryl Dixon, with the exception of the ‘bad months’, Sam extracted herself from his hold and started for the door once more. “Come on. I’ll take you up on that offer of an escort though.”

Mumbling a curse in reference to her willpower, Daryl begrudgingly followed Sam out the door in to the pitch of night, holding on tight to her hand so as to not let her slip away. Pushing her across the white vinyl seat, completely out of the driver’s seat, but close enough that she was still pressed up against him, Daryl backed out of the driveway and headed towards her parent’s house; feeling like a complete idiot for driving a golf cart through town.

“You can just park over there, by the kitchen door.” Sam explained and pointed out the location as if he’d never been to her parent’s house. Once the golf cart was turned off, she turned her face towards Daryl and leaned in for a goodnight kiss and narrowed her eyes when he slid out of the cart without accepting it.

“Least I can do is walk you to the door. Didn’t never get a chance to do that back then.” Holding out his hand chivalrously, his eyes twinkled with happiness behind a thick swatch of bangs when Sam accepted and let him help her out of the seat. Pulling her towards him, Daryl wrapped an arm around her narrow shoulders and brushed a kiss across the top of her head before turning towards the house and heading up the brick sidewalk. Standing by the kitchen door, the room inside empty and dark, he gathered Sam against his chest and lowered his voice to ask, “When can I see you again?”

“I dunno. Jacey will be home tomorrow, I really hadn’t thought that far ahead.” Leaning against him, loving the feel of being back in Daryl’s arms, Sam pressed her head against his chest and listened to the thumping sounds of his heart. While she didn’t want to go down a road that could lead to Jacey getting her heart broken, Sam also didn’t’ want to have to wait to spend time with Daryl again. “How about you maybe come over after she goes to bed? Kid sleeps like she’s in a coma, we could spend some time together then?”

“It’s a date then.” Dipping his head, Daryl pressed his lips to Sam’s, honestly meaning to place a chaste goodnight kiss to her lips, but as usual with the two of them, it took several minutes before they broke apart for a much needed breath. Reluctantly dropping his arms, releasing his hold on Sam, he jogged down the stairs and, before turning down the sidewalk to head home, loudly whispered, “Goodnight. See ya’ tomorrow night, Ms. Collins.”

“Goodnight. Looking forward to it, Mr. Dixon.” Sam replied, grinning like the schoolgirl she’d been when they’d first met. Leaning against the cool glass panels of the kitchen door, she watched as he disappeared from sight, swallowed up in the darkness of night, and wondered what Daryl would think if he knew she’d never actually gotten around to officially changing her name; according to the State of Georgia, she was still legally Samantha James Collins Dixon.


	84. Chapter 84

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If all goes well at work tonight I intend on posting Chapter 85 before I leave work in the morning, that way I can start back on the Past with next week's posts. :)

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The present: Sunday, April 8th, 2012**  
_

“But, I’m not sleepy.” Jacey halfheartedly protested as Sam ushered her down the narrow hallway towards her bedroom, doing the nightly argument to avoid going to bed. Long since outfitted for bed, dressed in her favorite pair of unicorn print pink pajamas, Jacey had been fighting off her usual bedtime of nine o’clock for at least an hour, which Sam anticipated after years of practice and had started getting her ready and towards the bedroom shortly before eight.

“You’ve fallen asleep twice since we got home from dinner, kiddo. Face it, you’re exhausted.” Sam held on to Jacey’s tiny shoulders and navigated her through the bedroom door, across the room, sidestepping a scattering of toys that were supposed to be picked up earlier in the day, and finally to the twin bed by the window. Leaning over, Sam pulled back the covers and motioned for Jacey to crawl inside. “Come on, get in. Don’t make me resort to scowling, please.”

“Fine, but I’m just gonna lay here awake. I’m really not tired at all.” Jacey grumbled as she climbed beneath the bedcovers, snuggling down beneath them as Sam tucked her in tightly. “Where’s my Scruffy dog?”

“In the floor, which you were supposed to clean up.” Snatching the well-worn, matted stuffed dog she’d gotten for Jacey years ago off the floor, Sam handed it over and repeated the process of tucking them both in the bed. “First thing tomorrow after school, homework then clean up this room. Got it?” Cringing at the sound of her mother’s voice coming out of her mouth, Sam leaned down and brushed a kiss across her daughter’s forehead before blowing out the lantern on her bedside table.

“Yes, ma’am.” There was a slight tinge of pout in her words, but she made the promise to clean up her bedroom in spite of how she felt about it. What was the point of cleaning everything up when she was just going to play with it again later? It made no sense at all. “Goodnight, I love you.”

“Love you more, baby girl. Don’t let those bed bugs bite.” Crossing the bedroom, careful to not step on any beloved toys along the way, Sam stood at the bedroom door and watched Jacey roll on to her side and snuggle the stuffed dog tightly; no doubt fast asleep by the time the bedroom door finally closed.

As soon as she was safely back out in the hallway, Sam darted towards the bathroom and quietly closed the door behind her. Clicking on the flashlight that was laying on the counter, she used the faint light to check her appearance as best as possible; fluffing her hair, brushing her teeth and applying a few squirts of strawberries and cream scented body splash in anticipation of Daryl coming over. While she’d taken a quick bath, merely a few inches of lukewarm water in the bathtub at her parent’s house that morning, she had refrained from shaving as she hoped the copious amounts of light brown hair covering her legs and delicate areas would act as a deterrent in regards to letting her hormones get out of control around Daryl. It was a half-assed excuse, knowing full well that Daryl didn’t care one iota about her lack of grooming tactics, but Sam needed every ounce of help she could get in the resisting sex with Daryl department for the time being. Resisting him this time around might prove to be far more difficult than the first time she’d given herself to him. Now she was fully aware of just how capable he was in that department and her body was eager to relish in the joys that he could always provide her. But, they had so much to work through, to get to know one another once more, and she truly felt that jumping back into the bed straight away wasn’t the answer to those issues. Sam also wasn’t sure just how long she could abstain either. 

Barely half a second after she slicked on a smidgen of lip gloss, Sam heard the faint rap of knuckles against the back door. Grabbing the flashlight, she headed down the hallway and, after a cursory glance over her shoulder to ensure that Jacey’s bedroom door was still shut, opened the door and cringed at the sound of the hinges squeaking. When Daryl stepped around the open door, a smile spread across her face and she whispered a giddy greeting. “Hey. Perfect timing.”

“She’s asleep already? Ain’t much past nine?” Daryl stepped inside the hallway, cautiously glancing towards his sister’s bedroom. While he would have loved to spend time with both of them, he understood Sam’s need to keep things private for the time being until they figured out their new relationship. Didn’t mean he had to like it, but he understood it at least.

“Barely could keep her eyes open. Mom wore them all out last night, hide and seek, board games, forts, you name it. She’s usually like this after spending the weekend with them.” Sam closed the door and slid the chain in to the locked position, wanting to ensure their privacy since Cassie had a bad habit about not only showing up unannounced, but using her key and coming inside without waiting to be let in. Turning back to Daryl, suddenly nervous, she fidgeted with the flashlight in her hands and struggled with finding something to say.

Sensing Sam’s sudden case of the nerves, he broke the ice by stepping forward and dipping his head to kiss her; a gentle brushing of the lips just to say hello. “Been looking forward to that all damn day.”

A breathy moan slipped past her lips as his brushed against hers. A blush crept up her chest and settled on her cheeks, shocking even Sam at how easy it was for Daryl to elicit such a response from her after all these years. It was a feat that no one else had ever been able to accomplish. Grabbing his hand, she pulled him towards the living room with the intent of sitting on the couch and getting to know one another again, they did have over a decade to catch up on after all, but upon seeing the couch and its proximity to the hallway that Jacey could walk down at any given minute, she decided they needed a change of plans. Explaining the situation to Daryl, she finished up by offering two locations. “We can go up to the roof or, likely against my better judgment, go up to my room. She won’t stumble in to either, we’d hear her long before we saw her.”

“You know my vote.” Cocking his mouth in that way Sam still found to be very attractive, Daryl pulled her backwards towards the ladder that led to her loft. Motioning towards the white slats, his eyes twinkled wickedly in the light from the flashlight when he spoke, “Go on…get up there.”

“This is such a very bad idea. I should never have even offered it.” Sam replied playfully as she moved around him to climb up the ladder, feeling the weight of his stare on her backside with each step she took. Once up at the top, she quickly picked up a pile of clothes and moved them from the bed over to the floor next to the dresser before laying down the flashlight and lit a handful of candles; the vanilla scent instantly sweetening the room.

Feeling like the child he’d never been climbing up in to a treehouse, Daryl cautiously stood up when he reached the top of the landing, fully expecting to hit his head on the low ceiling, but found it to be a bit taller than he had originally thought. Reaching out, he grabbed a fist full of the gauzy white curtain that surrounded the area and walked towards the other end, closing them off from the rest of the apartment. Seeing the question in Sam’s eyes, the uncertainty, he explained away her stress by saying, “In case Jace wakes up. Won’t be able to see up here.” It was a flimsy excuse and they both knew it, but Sam seemed to accept it and that’s all that mattered to him.

Since the bed was the only place to sit up in the loft, Sam sat down on the edge and leaned over to start pulling off her boots; never having been one to be comfortable wearing shoes in bed, even if it wasn’t to actually sleep. Once they were both removed, she picked them up by the top edges and scooted them beneath the bedside table.

“Can’t believe you still got those. Shit, surprised they ain’t fallen apart by now.” Daryl commented as he lowered himself down to sit on the bed next to Sam, not realizing his mistake until she turned towards him with a furrowed brow.

“How would you know how long I’ve had my boots?” Confused by his remark, she turned back to him. While the black boots with an absurd amount of rhinestones on them were by far her favorite ones, having gotten her first pair nearly ten years ago in Nashville, the ones she had just taken off weren’t the same boots. In fact, the ones she was wearing tonight were fairly new since she had actually splurged and bought five pairs of the same style. It was a piece of shame she carried around for spending so much money on something so frivolous. She still had two pairs back at her other house, tucked away safely in the walk in closet she missed dearly. “These are kinda new actually.”

“No, I … um, well…shit.” Daryl stammered for a moment before just admitting that while she hadn’t seen him over the years, he had actually seen her a few times. “Those ain’t the ones you wore back a couple years ago at that concert in Atlanta? Look just like them, never seen boots that sparkle that much.”

“Now, how would you know what I wore at a concert, unless you were there?” Sam grinned at his discomfort and slapped him on the shoulder. “You came to my concert! You, with all the ‘I hate country music’ nonsense, came to my concert!”

“Never said I hated it, just said it wasn’t exactly what I listened to. And, yeah, so I came to your concerts, so what?” Daryl squirmed under gaze of her narrowed eyes and asked, “What? You didn’t want me there or something?”

“No, it’s just…well, if you were there I’m just wondering why you didn’t try to see me?” The initial realization that Daryl had come to her concert, or maybe more than one, was exciting, but then that stubbornly annoying little voice in the back of her mind had to pipe up and wonder why he hadn’t made some attempt to see her.

“Thought about it, first concert I went to over in Valdosta…just didn’t think it was the right time. Wasn’t too long after we broke up and all, plus I’d been with Merle too much and I dunno…just didn’t think you’d wanna see me like that.” He didn’t bother to offer up a better explanation regarding the Merle comment, it was embarrassing to admit that he’d allowed his brother to influence him as much as he did. Humiliating to think of all the bad things he’d done just for the sake of following Merle around and keeping his brother proud of him, as much as Merle could be anyway. Shrugging, he moved on. “Was going to in Atlanta, over at the Tabernacle. Followed you all the way back to the hotel, coerced the desk clerk to tell me your room number…then I chickened out.”

“You? Chickened out?” Sam’s tone was disbelieving as she tried to process what Daryl was telling her. He had actually sought her out, he had missed her, too. Thinking back to the night he was referring to, the night she’d met the Greene family, a sudden flash of memory popped in to her mind. “I saw you. At the hotel, the Westin! I was about to get on the elevator and I saw you, but when I turned around you were gone. I’ve told myself for years that it was just my mind playing tricks on me! Why’d you leave? Why didn’t you come find me?”

“Ryan. You were, um…with him.” He recalled the stab in his heart, the ache in his soul when he’d seen the two of them together and realized he had missed his one chance at getting his wife back. “Followed you up to the floor you was staying on. He kissed you, you let him in your room. Didn’t figure there was no reason for me to stick around.”

And that’s when the rest of the evening filled her mind. That was the night that she had finally given in to Ryan’s advances; officially closing her heart on the chapter of her life with Daryl. The night she had finally fallen in to bed with Ryan was the night that Daryl had finally sought her out. Sam couldn’t think of any words for that realization other than tragic.


	85. Chapter 85

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, I edited this chapter tonight at work so I could post it before I leave. :) A little treat for my readers, plus it allows me to start back up directly with the Past when I return next Sunday. Hope you guys enjoy the chapters I've posted this week!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The present: Sunday, April 8th, 2012**  
_

 

Feeling incredibly guilty, although she had no reason to feel that way, Sam reached out and took hold of Daryl’s hands as she tried to explain how things had been between her and Ryan. “Daryl, that night with Ryan? That was the first time, with him. I…I waited so long, hoping I’d see you again and things would change between us, but it didn’t…nothing ever happened. I was just so tired of being alone, you know? I just wanted to feel something, anything other than emptiness. It had been so long since I’d…I just needed to not feel so alone.”

“Sam, you don’t have to explain nothing to me, certainly ain’t no reason to feel guilty. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Even in the softly lit room, he could see the guilt in her eyes, see the burden of his confession weighing heavily on her conscience for no reason at all. “To you, we were divorced. I’d left you a long time before then. It’s okay.”

“I know, but just thinking that you were right there…I just hate it.” When Daryl cut off her guilt by pressing his lips against hers, Sam felt her heart skip a beat and her stomach flutter with anticipation. She had forgotten over the years how easily something as simple as a kiss from him could turn her in to a quivering mess of desire. Putting her hands on his chest, she pushed Daryl back, their faces separated by only a few inches, so she could further explain what was going through her mind. “I just want you to know that with Ryan…Daryl, he had my friendship, even my body, and I do care about him, but he never had my heart…no one ever has, not the way you do.”

Pulling her against him, into his arms, Daryl covered up her explanation with his lips. Kissing her deeply, his heart skipped a beat at her words, knowing that despite everything they’d been through, how horribly it had all ended, he had never lost Sam’s love. Daryl knew deep down that even though he’d went to her that night so many years ago, he still wouldn’t have been the man she deserved, the man she was worthy of, because that man hadn’t existed until after the world fell apart. It was only now, after the heartache and sorrow, the years apart and the end of the world as they knew it, that they could work towards the relationship they both deserved.

She let Daryl press her back onto the mattress, heart racing, breathless beneath his fervent kisses, dizzy with desire and lusting for more. Sam’s hormones demanded more than the feel of his lips against hers, urging her to take what would eagerly be handed over to her, begging her to let Daryl bury himself deep inside her body, and her mind was quickly losing the battle of wills with the aching need that tormented her. Her hands were on his arms, stroking the heated flesh, clutching at his sculpted bicep that she didn’t recall being so impressive years ago and the thought sent her mind spiraling down the proverbial bunny hole as it wondered what the rest of his body looked like after all these years.

“This ain’t moving slow.” His voice was husky, deep with want and gruff against her lips as he spoke. The feel of her hands beneath his shirt, the bite of her nails against the flesh of his lower back, bringing him back to reality. Breaking from their kiss, Daryl rested his forehead against hers and stared down in to her eyes. While he wanted to tear away her clothes, pull her tightly against him, bury himself deep within her body and lay claim to what was and would always be his, he didn’t want to do so until Sam was ready. Although, looking down in to her eyes, shimmering and filled to the brim with passion, he was fairly sure that getting her to declare her willingness to have sex with him would be an easy task at the moment. “You wanna quit, need you to say it now.” 

Sam knew he was giving her an out and appreciated it dearly, because the break allowed logic to creep back in to her mind, despite the cry of objection from the passion that simmered throughout her body. Nodding her head, she managed to find her voice and press the pause button. “Slow, definitely need to slow things down.” She felt Daryl nod as their foreheads were still pressed together, his eyes were now closed and he gave no verbal response. Removing her hands from beneath his shirt, she rested them on his shoulders and offered, “Maybe we could just talk some? I mean, we do have a lot of history to catch up on.”

Rolling off of Sam was the most difficult thing he’d had to do as of late, killing walkers and fighting for his life was an easier task. Flipping over on to his back, he reached out and pulled her over towards him, letting her head rest against the curve between his shoulder and chest. Breathing deeply, mentally willing the stiffened member that was pressing painfully against the zipper of his pants to deflate, Daryl wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Alright, then we talk.”

Daryl had no recollection of falling asleep, but judging by the soft rays of light filtering through the gauzy material of the curtains when he cracked open one eye, he must have dozed off at some point during the night. Reaching out, he patted his hand across the mattress next to him, searching for Sam and coming up empty. Eyes fully open now, he scanned the small area and found her perched at the end of the mattress, legs pulled up against her chest, furiously scribbling by the light of a small penlight crammed in her mouth. Shaking his head, realizing that not much had changed when it came to Sam and her habits, he sat up and crawled over next to her. Realizing just what it was she was writing in, he smiled and commented on the present he’d given her so many years ago. “Can’t believe you still got that thing.”

“Oh!” Sam gasped in surprise, having been completely immersed in the song she was working on and not what was going on around her. Shoving the pencil inside the leather covered notebook, marking the page with it, she smiled and leaned over to accept a quick kiss from Daryl. “Of course I do. Had to change out a few notebooks over the years, but I’ve kept it beside me since you gave it to me. I didn’t’ wake you up did I?”

“No. Didn’t even notice you was up.” Nodding towards the stream of early morning sunlight that was starting to creep its way through a crack in the curtains, he said, “Usually up before now. Easier to hunt when it’s early.”

“Guess you need to get going then, huh? Probably for the best, I have to get Jacey up soon if we plan on eating before I take her to school.” Sitting the notebook on the floor at the end of the mattress, Sam leaned closer to Daryl and put her head on his shoulder; threading their hands together to rest in her lap. “Everyone raves about how much food you bring in, you know? I think some of the guys are jealous. Is it true you won’t let anyone go with you? Scares me thinking you’re out there, in the woods, without anyone to help you if you need it.”

“Don’t much like being around other people…prefer to be alone when I’m out there. Shit, they’d catch more if they’d stop barreling through the damn woods, scaring off everything.” He replied with a grimace, recalling the sounds of heavy landed footfalls crunching loudly on the leaf blanketed ground in the woods that inevitably scarred away anything worth killing.

Brushing a kiss across the top of Sam’s head, he rested his lips against her soft hair and smiled; happy to be waking up with her in his life, in bed with him, once more. Murmuring, his voice gruff with sleepiness, having not gotten a lot of rest since they’d stayed up most of the night alternating making out with filling one another in on the past twelve years of their lives, he regretted saying the words that had to be spoken. “Guess I should get out of here, don’t want the little one catching me up here.”

“Not yet anyway.” Nothing could have wiped the smile from her face, completely giddy at being in Daryl’s arms again, and filled with hope that this time things would work out between them. They were older, wiser and therefor, had a better chance, right? Lifting her head from his shoulder, Sam lips were still curved upwards as she pressed them against Daryl’s to say goodbye.

Their kiss deepened quickly, as it had always been known to do, and within a few moments, Sam was straddled across Daryl’s lap; their bodies pressed tightly against one another as they lost themselves in the embrace. Her hands were buried in his hair as she parted her lips and let his tongue slip inside to taste hers, slipping across her own languidly. Daryl’s hands were in the process of releasing their hold on her tiny waist, slipping beneath the soft material to caress the heated flesh below, and the calluses on his rough palms sending chills across her skin, when the sudden bang of a door broke through their passion. Eyes wide, they jumped apart guiltily and scrambled off the bed.

“She’s up early, must’ve had to use the restroom.” Sam hissed as she made sure her shirt was straight and tried to compose herself, although she could feel the heat of her flushed cheeks and the burn from Daryl’s scruff across her skin and knew she must look thoroughly debauched. Deciding there was nothing she could do about her appearance, she prayed Jacey didn’t ask any questions as she scurried across the small space to pull back the curtain and cautiously peek out. Glancing over her shoulder, her voice was barely audible as she spoke, “I’m gonna go on down and let you know when it’s clear.”

“Aight.” Daryl slipped a hand around her neck, settling it at the base just below her hairline and pulled her towards him with a halfcocked smile on his face. “Ain’t leaving without a kiss though.” Lowering his lips to hers, he thoroughly kissed her goodbye; leaving Sam breathless and wanting more.

“Ok, yeah, that’s good.” Sam stammered, her chest heaving as she panted from one solitary kiss. It had been a long time since anyone had ever left her feeling lightheaded and tingly from a kiss, of course, that’s probably because the last one to do so was Daryl. Gathering her composure, she lifted a finger and placed it over her lips to remind him to be quiet before descending the ladder down in to the living room. After a quick check to make sure the bathroom door was shut, she waved her hand towards Daryl to let him know the coast was clear.

“Come by tonight.” Sam whispered in Daryl’s ear as he slipped past her, placing a chaste kiss on her cheek before slipping silently past her and out on to the landing; nodding to let her know he’d heard her as he started down the rickety metal stairs as quietly as he could.

“What are you doing staring out the backdoor?” Jacey asked curiously as she rubbed at her eyes sleepily. “Someone here?”

“Um, no…I, uh…thought I heard something, but there wasn’t anything out there.” Sam explained hurriedly as she shut the door and turned to face her daughter, who was staring up at her with all the innocence that only childlike wonder could produce. “What are you doing up so early?” Upon hearing that Jacey was hungry, Sam offered, “Why don’t you go on and get dressed? We’ll head to breakfast early.”

Jacey nodded and turned to go get dressed, her hungry stomach barely beating out the sleepiness that still plagued her. Pausing only a few steps away, she glanced over her shoulder at Sam. “You should probably change, too. Didn’t you wear that yesterday?"

‘Shit,’ Sam thought to herself as glanced down at the old college sweatshirt and faded jeans with the rip in the knee; clearly two articles of clothing that were distinguishable enough to not be able to pass it off as though she had changed. Fibbing, she stammered a bit as took a step in the direction of her room, “I, uh…fell asleep before changing, must’ve been more tired than I thought, huh?”

A little while later, they had just filled their plates with food and were sitting down to eat when Cassie sauntered over. Crinkling her brow, Sam made a show of glancing at her bare wrist where a watch had once been worn and asked, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here this early. Late night or early start?”

“Early start, thank you very much.” Cassie slid into the chair across from Sam and snatched a wedge of potato off her plate. Noticing just how much food her friend had piled up on the plate, she narrowed her eyes at Sam; who rarely ate much as of late and seemed oddly chipper. “What’s up with you? You’re practically glowing and I don’t think I’ve seen that much food on your plate in years.”

“What? I’m just hungry. Can’t a girl be hungry?” Sam asked innocently as she shoved a forkful of eggs in to her mouth; so much so that her cheeks puffed out slightly.

“No way, you only eat that much when you’re happy. Like, ridiculously happy. Of which, you haven’t been in ages, so spill. I know something’s up with you, I can read you like a book.” Leaning forward, putting her forearms on the table after a cursory glance to make sure that Momma Collins wasn’t lying in wait to chastise her for her lack of manners, Cassie glared at Sam and waiting for an explanation. When Sam blatantly ignored the question, simply remaining mute while she forked up another bite of eggs, Cassie growled. “Fine, don’t tell me. Meanie.”

“Meanie? Seriously? Are we in second grade now?” The guilt she harbored over not telling her best friend about recent involvements with Daryl had Sam on the verge of spilling her guts, when she remembered that Cassie had kept her relationship with Tyler secret for years. Clamming up, Sam cut up her potato wedge and mixed it up with the rest of her eggs, while effectively changing the subject of her sudden state of happiness. “How’s things with Rick? You and Deputy Cutie still getting along famously?”

A slow smile etched itself onto Cassie’s face as thoughts of Rick Grimes filled her mind. Two people couldn’t be more different and yet, she was completely smitten with the man after only a few weeks. Of course, much to her dismay, their “relationship”, if it could be called that, had seemed to hit a wall as of late; neither progressing nor declining. Sighing, she snatched a piece of toast off Sam’s plate and munched on it dejectedly while filling her in on the latest in her love life. “He’s just great, I mean it. Really nice, handsome, great father, a little on the intense side, but that’s kind of hot….but, nothing’s happening. I mean, like, nothing. He seems interested, does the touchy feely thing, flirts a lot, and all. But, that’s it. No kisses, no more than kisses. And he still wears his wedding ring…even though his wife died like a year ago. And, from what I heard, she wasn’t exactly winning any Wife of the Year awards.”

“I’m sorry, Cass. I know how well you handle the slow build, but maybe it’ll be worth it?” Sam’s cheeks flamed at the thought of the slow-build comment and the image of Daryl it produced. She was fairly certain that taking things slow might be even more difficult to achieve the second time around; the first time around she didn’t know what she was missing out on. “So, things with Tyler? On or off?”

“Currently off, much to his dismay.” Cassie started to explain further, but was interrupted by Jacey, who asked to go sit with her best friend who’d just come in the door. Which, for Cassie, was probably a good thing since little ears didn’t need to hear what she was about to say to Sam. Once Jacey was out of earshot, hurrying across the room with her tray held tightly in her hands, Cassie continued, “The thing is, with your brother, I don’t so much as miss Tyler…as I miss his dick. That man is a complete asshole, but the things he can do to me in the bedroom are enough to cause a porn star to blush.”

“Jesus, Cass! Way too much information!” Sam grimaced and tried to get the mental picture of her brother and Cassie in bed out of her mind. “Thank you very much for that grotesque image.”

“Sorry about that. I got in the _‘Sam’s my best friend mode’_ and forgot about the whole Tyler being your brother for a minute. I miss spilling all my deep, sexual secrets to you. Plus, with you being all chaste and nun-like, you’d probably like hearing all about them if it didn’t gross you out. You could live all vicariously through my sexcapades.” Grinning, Cassie snatched another potato wedge, earning her a glare from Sam, and nibbled a bite off the end while turning around to see who’d just come in to the room. Spying Rick and his kids, she scooted out of the chair to go over to them. Before she left, she eyeballed Sam’s red cheeks, dreamy stare and the smile that was plastered on her face for no reason. Pointing at Sam with the potato wedge, she narrowed her eyes and promised, “I like what's going on here, this smiling thing you've got going on, but I will get to the cause of that happiness. That's a promise.”


	86. Chapter 86

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much on the chapters from last week. Now back to the Past for some angst. LOL

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Previously in the Past:**  
_ Daryl confronted Sam about her depression and things went downhill to the point that Daryl ended up leaving the house and spending the night at Merle's. Unfortunately, that's where Sam found him the next morning along with a woman that she mistakenly thought he'd cheated on her with. Sam stormed out and told Daryl that she wished she had never met him.

 

_**The past: Thursday, May 11th, 2000** _

At an hour when the rest of the town was tucked safely in to their beds, hours into a peaceful night's slumber, the Dixon brothers were just stumbling up the front steps of their rented home after spending several hours of the evening tossing back drinks just outside of town in the basement of the local bootlegger; a weasel of a man who happened to be friends of a sort with Merle, often trading alcohol for drugs. Thoroughly wasted, clearly in a state of drunkenness where they had no business driving, but had done so anyway, they fell through the door and clumsily made their way in to the living room, trampling over discarded clothes, litter and filth with each off-kilter step.

Falling back on to the couch, Daryl felt something crunch beneath him and leaned to the side to extricate a now crumpled empty beer can and tossed it on to the floor with a pile of others left over from earlier in the week. Since leaving his home, walking out on his wife, each day had been spent alternating between cracking open yet another cheap beer and calling the Collins residence in vain; each attempt at making contact with Sam being met with nothing but resistance. After showing up on the front porch of her parents’ house each day for a week, only to be told that Sam had no interest in seeing him and eventually being threatened with having the local police department called out to officially trespass him from the property, Daryl had given up hopes of ever seeing her again, but still called no less that ten times a day on the off chance that she might actually pick up the phone. Each and every attempt at making contact with her was as much of a failure as he was at life.

"Just how many more days you gonna sit and feel sorry for your ass, baby brother?" Merle's voice grated on Daryl's nerves, the gravelly sound eerily reminiscent of their father's. Shaking his head in disgust, the sight of his brother's sorry ass pining away for some hoity-toity bitch irritated the elder Dixon brother to no extent. Cracking open a lukewarm beer that had been overlooked earlier in the night, he chugged down half the can and belched loudly. "Shit, I done told you she weren't worth all the trouble, didn't I? Knew from the first time I saw her that she was nothing but trouble, wasn't doing nothing but trolling on the wrong side of the tracks for a little fun."

"Shut up, Merle." Daryl's voice was muffled, his arms flung across his face to block out the pitiful sight that had become his life. His head was spinning nearly as fast as his stomach was churning; the time he'd spent being married had lessened his tolerance for alcohol since he'd rarely drank around Sam. "She's still my god dammed wife."

"Don't that just beat all? Just ‘cause you knock 'em up don't mean you gotta marry them." Sneering at the concept, Merle polished off the rest of the can of beer and crushed it in his meaty palm before flipping it over his shoulder, clearing the top of the recliner and landing on the floor behind him. Scratching at his crotch, he briefly wondered if that blonde bimbo had given him the Clap and thought maybe he should get it checked out soon. "Hell, don't mean you gotta stay with them if you do marry 'em, right?"

"Yeah, 'cause I got so many other options. What else am I gonna do?" Daryl's descent in to a sea of self-pity was growing with each minute the quantities of alcohol in his blood stream intensified. Scrubbing his hands over his face, he shook his head at his brother's words and stood up with the intent to go to bed, but lurched to the side and fell back on to the couch. Cursing, he laid over on to the disgusting cushions that he doubted a good cleaning couldn't even fix and closed his eyes, the room instantly starting spinning.

"Hell, we ain't gotta stay around this shithole. Got plenty of opportunities up near Atlanta. In fact, was thinking about heading out anyway, find some new hole to stay in...Pussy’s getting stale around here anyhow." Merle pulled out a crumpled pack of cigarettes, shook one out and lit it up; inhaling deeply before continuing around the exhale of a stream of smoke. "Shit, you're coming with me. Ain't much of a brother if I let you stay 'round here, wallowing in your own shit and waiting for some bitch to show you some attention. Don't look like that's gonna happen no how, does it? Don't seem to matter to her, don't see her returning your calls." Pushing up off the recliner, Merle shuffled towards his room and called out to Daryl before closing the door behind him. "Get some sleep, we'll clear out of this shitbox tomorrow."

"Yeah, alright." Daryl mumbled in response. Merle's words made sense, although he didn't know if it was because it was what he should do or if it was the alcohol pickling his brain and somehow making sense of his brother's reasoning. Fact of the matter was, his relationship with Sam had been over for months, it just took a while for either of them to realize it. Rolling over on to his side, Daryl fought the urge to vomit for a long time before finally succumbing to sleep.

The next morning, Daryl was up before Merle, as per usual. Filled with focus and determination, he got cleaned up and dug his keys out of the crumpled, smoke tinged jeans he'd worn the night before and headed out to his motorcycle. He was going to give Sam one last chance, going to go to her parent's house and make a final, last ditch effort to see her...if he failed this time, he'd take his brother up on the offer to leave Collins and never look back. Whatever happened had to be a better option than what his life was like at the current moment, because he couldn’t continue to live his life in limbo. 

Across town, as Daryl was heading towards the Collins residence, Sam was being ushered towards her mother's waiting car. The night before, after finding her daughter curled up in the fetal position in the center of her bed, staring blankly at the wall had finally broke Donna Collins's willpower to wait out the heartache that Sam was going through. After three weeks of barely existing, barely eating, not talking, doing nothing but crying and lying in bed, Sam had been given the choice to either willingly see a psychiatrist or have her parents commit her to a psychiatric care facility for treatment. The night before had been filled with tears and screams as Sam had fought against both options, but in the end, she had collapsed from utter exhaustion after agreeing to finally see the doctor her parents recommended.

Staring blankly out the window, Sam was silent during the commute to Macon; having nothing to say to her mother, but even if she did, her anger would have refused to let her speak anyway. An hour and a half later, her mother remained in the waiting room while Sam sat mutely in the overstuffed chair with cabbage roses all over it. Staring out the window, she refused to make eye contact with the shrink that she saw as an enemy, despite the friendly expression, graying hair and coffee mug with kittens on it.

"Samantha, I know you don't want to be here. I've spoken with your mother at length, we've been friends of sorts for years, and she's told me what you've been going through." Dr. Grammerly stepped out from behind the desk and crossed over to take the chair next to her patient, a petite young woman who looked as though her heart and soul had been ripped completely from her life. Reaching out, she patted Sam on the back of the hand and spoke softly to try and convince her to let go of the hurt that was holding her back. "I'm here to help, honey. I promise. Nothing you say or do in here will ever go past those doors. It stays between the two of us."

Silence continued to fill the room, but this time Sam finally turned her head away from the window and stared at the doctor. Seeing it as a step in the right direction, Grace Grammerly smiled gently at her patient, knowing full well that her grandmotherly appearance had the tendency to have a calming effect on people, and tried again. "We'll start slowly, ok? Just a few questions, you can answer the ones you feel like and not bother with the ones you don't want to deal with just yet." Settling back in her chair, she smoothed out the front of her long, flower print skirt and asked, "How are you feeling today? In one word, what best describes your mood?"

Sam scrapped her teeth over her bottom lip and blinked at the doctor for a few moments. Mulling over the question, she opened her mouth and closed it a couple of times before finally finding her voice and replying to the question. There was only one way she could explain how she felt, because it's the way she had to feel in order to protect herself from the other emotions that would tear her apart if they were given the chance to surface.

"Numb."


	87. Chapter 87

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The past: Friday, May 26, 2000**  
_

Standing on the steps, so early that morning had barely begun its day, Sam stared in to the kitchen of the home she'd shared with Daryl. Her heart raced with the mounting anxiety that the daunting task at hand presented to her. In the past week, shortly after her first therapy session, she'd received a call from their landlord informing her that they were late on their rent, and had been for a couple months now. Upon hearing that she and Daryl had recently split up, their landlord had suggested that maybe it was time that they cleared out their belongings and vacated the property since it was no longer needed. Of course, while Sam balked at the idea, her father had very logically pointed out that there was no reason for her to continue paying for a place that no one was living in. After adding in the fact that she hadn't seen or heard from Daryl in over a month, Sam had begrudgingly admitted her father was right.

Now though, she had barely taken a step inside the kitchen before she was plagued with second thoughts. Not that it mattered since there was already a newlywed couple waiting to move in once everything was packed up and relocated. Sighing, she dropped her keys and purse on to the counter and kicked at the stack of cardboard boxes one of her brothers had so kindly dropped off for her earlier in the week. Figuring the kitchen was as good of a place to start, she folded up one of the boxes, taped up the bottom and started loading in the meager amount of kitchenware and appliances that they'd owned; which wasn't much since neither of them cooked or spent much time in that particular room of the house.

Within a couple of hours, she had managed to pack up the kitchen, the bathroom, the hall closet and was heading towards the bedroom, which was likely to be the most difficult for many reasons, when the blinking red light on the answering machine caught her attention. Sitting down the box in her arms, Sam wiped off her hands on the blue jean cut offs she usually reserved for outdoor work and poked the button to listen to the messages. Buried nearly to the end of the full tape was a message she wasn't prepared to hear. The sound of Daryl's voice had Sam's knees buckling and tears stinging in her eyes as she sank to the floor in front of the table to listen to the message; playing it back a second time to make sure she had all the information he'd left.

Staring down at the pad of paper with the phone number he'd rattled off scrawled on it, Sam's hands shook as she reached for the phone and, upon hearing the dial tone, was thankful that the phone company hadn't cut off their service yet. She quickly punched in the numbers, her heart thudding loudly in her chest under the mix of excitement and nerves, and listened as the line rang and rang without being answered on the other end. On the verge of hanging up, Sam's hopes soared briefly upon hearing the sound of someone picking up the line, only to be dashed when it wasn't Daryl who answered.

"Greenbriar Motel." The man's voice was husky, low and tinged with boredom as he answered the phone. Sam's mind conjured up an image of a middle aged man with a pouched out belly and scraggly beard, but had no idea if it was even close to reality. "How can I direct your call?"

"Um, I'm sorry, I was returning a call...I guess it rolled over when they didn't answer?" Sam chewed nervously on her fingernail, a habit she didn't recall ever having before Daryl, and explained the situation a bit further. "I just checked my messages and had one from my husband, I don't know how long ago it was from though. Can you help me possibly, sir?"

"Ain't supposed to give out customer information, ma'am. Best you just wait to hear back from your husband." Randy drawled, rolling his eyes at the woman on the other end of the phone before moving to hang up the phone, but the sound of her voice pleading with him had him bringing the receiver back up to his ear. "Really, ma'am, there ain't much I can do for you."

"I don't really need much information, I promise. It's just...my husband and I had a fight a couple weeks ago and I haven't seen him since. This message with the number to your motel is all I've got." Sam knew she was begging, her voice shaky and bordering on whiny and desperate as she pleaded with the man to help her. "Please, pretty please with sugar on top? All I need to know is if he's still registered as a guest."

"Fine. What's his name?" Sighing, Randy pulled the register book over to where he was sitting and flipped it open. Upon hearing the name of the person the lady was looking for, he cursed and put down the cigarette that had been dangling from his dry, cracked lips. "Yeah, he was here...'bout a week ago. Him and his brother. Trashed the place and left without paying."

"Oh, um...I'm so sorry to hear that. I will totally pay for the damage if you send me the bill, sir." Sam rattled off her parent's address and thanked the man for his assistance, her face full of the shock she felt inside as the phone dropped to the floor beside her. By wallowing in her broken heart at her parent's house, she had missed the call from Daryl and now she had no idea where he had since moved on to.

Falling back on to the rug, Sam stared upwards and watched the ceiling fan make lazy rotations round and round for so long that the sky outside turned pitch black by the time she managed to muster up the energy to get up. Leaning back over, she grabbed the roller of tape and folded up cardboard boxes, fully intent on continuing to the bedroom to start packing it up, when her line of sight fell on the nearly full bottle of whiskey she had dug out from one of the cabinets. She remembered it well, as it was the bottle that Cassie had given Daryl for Christmas, the one he'd had only one drink out of on New Year's Eve before storing it away for yet another special occasion; claiming it too expensive to waste by guzzling it down in one night. The items she had just gathered back in to her arms slipped from her grasp, clattering to the ground at her feet moments before Sam started towards the bottle, the dark amber liquid inside screaming at her to give in and forget all of her worries.

Bottle in hand, Sam stared at the already broken seal with barely a second of doubt before twisting the cap off, leaving it laying on the counter, while she walked back over to the couch and sank down on to it as she lifted the bottle to her mouth. Grimacing, she coughed and sputtered as it burned its way down her throat and settled in the pit of her stomach like hot, molten lava. Sam grabbed the remote for the stereo, clicked on the power button and located the local country station. Preparing to live up to the expectations of every sad country song she'd heard, she pulled a throw pillow in to her lap and snuggled back against the cool leather while alternating sniffles with drinks of whiskey.

Somewhere between the first drink and the last dregs of alcohol, Sam had located several albums of pictures they had accumulated during their short relationship. Now, she was passed out, laying on the navy shag rug in the living room with the photographs scattered out around her, a strand of drool leaking out of the corner of her gaping mouth and snoring loudly...which is exactly the way Cassie found her.

"Knock, knock!" Cassie called out as she stepped inside the house. She'd been out on the stoop knocking for a solid five minutes, when she had experimentally tried the doorknob and found it unlocked. Worried, she tossed her car keys onto the counter next to Sam's and headed in to the living room, finding Sam sprawled out on the floor. Hurrying over to her fallen friend, concern weighing heavily on her heart that she may have injured herself, Cassie kneeled down beside Sam and quickly realized what was going on. Spying the empty bottle only a second before her nose picked up the scent, she grabbed it and sat it upright on the coffee table. Turning her attention back to Sam, she brushed aside the locks of limp, dull hair that had fallen across her face and was stuck in the trail of drool escaping her open mouth. "Sam, sweetie, wake up!"

"Hmmph?" Rolling over on to her back with an inaudible response, Sam smacked her mouth a few times and felt like the world was spinning around her. Raising her hands to her head, she pressed them against her eyes while groaning. "Cassie? What time is it?"

"Nearly two in the morning. I fell asleep studying for my last final and woke up a little while ago and realized you hadn't called me like you were supposed to when you got home. I tried calling you, but your lines busy." A quick look at the side table showed that the phone wasn't on the hook, but was also not found with just a sweeping glance around the immediate area. "You poor thing, what happened?"

"He called. Daryl called and I missed it." Sam tried to sit up, but the plague of the spins grew more powerful, so she laid back down. "And then he tore up his room and the guy is mad and I can't find him."

"Ok, wait...slow it down. Who's mad and what about a room?" Cassie listened to the story once more, finally piecing together what Sam was saying. "The Greenbriar, huh? And he said it's just outside of Atlanta? Well, hell, Sam...That’s not far. What if Daryl's still in that area? What if they just left the room because they trashed it?"

"That's a lot of what-if's and you're voice is really loud." Sam closed her eyes, the ceiling fan spinning around above her wasn't helping her current state. "He's just gone. Gone away and not coming back...because I'm a big meanie and ran him off."

"You're not a big meanie." Cassie frowned, feeling terrible for her best friend and hating that there wasn't anything she could do to fix the situation, other than listen and offer a shoulder to cry on when needed. Unless maybe she could find Daryl, that was...if she could locate Daryl maybe she could get the two of them back together. Feeling as though the proverbial light-bulb had just been turned on above her head, Cassie crawled to her feet and located the telephone, which was shoved between the couch cushions, and returned it to the base to charge so she could call information later and find out the address to the motel in question. Of course, nothing would be achieved until Sam was sobered up and in better shape.

Coaxing Sam off the floor, Cassie led her towards the bathroom for a much needed shower, handed over two aspirin and a tall glass of water to chug. Once she had her tucked in to bed, Cassie returned to the living room to straighten up and started gathering up the pictures that were scattered about across the rug. After all the pictures had been returned to their respective albums, Cassie looked down at the last one, the three of them mugging for the camera on Sam and Daryl's wedding day and as she lovingly ran the tip of her finger over the image, she vowed that even if it was the last thing she ever did, she would get them back together...where they belonged.


	88. Chapter 88

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

__  
**The past: Sunday, July 23rd, 2000**  


 

In a seedy hotel in yet another small town that few had ever heard of, Daryl stood in the dingy bathroom and stared at himself in the mirror; the flickering light of a bad bulb distorting the image. Scissors in hand, he grabbed hold of a chunk of thick dark hair and chewed through it with the dull blades, methodically repeating the process until all the long strands that his wife had been so fond of were piled in the mold stained sink below. Dropping the scissors, Daryl barely registered the sound of them clattering in to the basin as he reached for the fifth of cheap whiskey on the counter and took a long pull out of the bottle. Without the curtain of bangs to shield his eyes, the darkness and hollow look of sorrow that filled them could easily be seen. Staring back at him in the mirror, unevenly cut swatches of hair sticking out in random spots, black eye from a bar fight several days back, grim eyes that reflected the hurt that filled his heart...Daryl barely recognized the man he'd become.

Stumbling back in to the bedroom, he clumsily placed the bottle on to the nightstand and tumbled on to the bed. The past three months had been spent on the road with Merle, running God only knows what from here to there, filling their nights with booze and dank motels, before getting up and repeating the process the next day. On the bed next to him, the loud, phlegmy sounds of Merle snoring filled the room and irritated Daryl to the core. Even in the near darkness, only a sliver of light creeping in to the room from the crack where the curtains didn't quite meet in the middle, Daryl could see the long pale limbs of the woman that had accompanied his brother back from the bar, but couldn't quite place what she looked like or even her name. He'd yet to succumb to the need, the desire to fuck someone for release or comfort, to ease the lonely nights with the nameless women who whored themselves out for a drink or bump from whatever man that could provide it to them. And, most of the time, Daryl didn't even consider resorting to that need, but there were night's like the current one when the loneliness was physically painful, burrowed deep in his soul and aching for Sam, those were the nights when he felt his resolve slipping away inch by inch, just needing to feel something other than the pain and sorrow that filled his heart.

Several hours later and many miles away, Cassie was trying her best to peel Sam off the couch she'd been occupying for months. Clapping her hands, she placed herself between Sam's eyes and the television and announced, "Alright, let's go! You've been moping around this house for months and it's getting old. I mean, look at you, it's the middle of the summer and you look like a ghost! And your hair! I can't stand it anymore."

"I don't wanna go do anything, Cass. Seriously, just leave me alone." Sam waved off her friend, batting away at the hands that tried to grab hold of hers to yank her off the couch. Sure, she'd been in a rut lately, but at least the constant stream of tears had stopped a few weeks ago. That had to be a plus, right? Of course, it was likely due to the heavy amounts of anxiety medication she was taking daily to combat the panic attacks that had started to plague her daily, but still...it had to count. "There's a 90210 marathon on, I'm just up to the one where Donna gets drunk at the prom."

"You can either get up on your own two feet to walk out to that car, or I can call Tyler and have him come do it for me." Cassie deftly snatched the remote out of Sam's hand and turned the television off, earning her a highly annoyed look from Sam. Wiggling her eyebrows, she did a little dance of happiness and announced, "We're going on a road trip!"

"No we're not. I mean, I don't want to...and I haven't packed anyway." Sam shook her head and tried to snatch the remote back from Cassie's hand, failing miserably as her friend danced away from her with it. Noticing her mother standing in the doorway to the kitchen she saw the look on her face and realized just what all the whispered talks between her mother and Cassie had been about lately; having just assumed they were talking about her emotional state and nothing more. "You were in on this?"

"I'm paying for this. You need to get up, get out there and move on, baby girl." Donna came in to the living room and held out an envelope to Cassie, containing enough money for the lodging she'd already arranged, gas, food and a day at the salon. "Everything has been planned and paid for, you might as well just agree to it, because you're going."

"And just where am I being dragged off to?" Sam's reply was sour, but the moment she heard the location her frown turned upside down. "Nashville? Really? I haven't been there since I was a kid. Remember? We went to Opryland and the Grand Ol' Opry?"

"We aren't just going to Nashville," Cassie smiled as she reached down and grabbed hold of Sam's hands to pull her off the couch. "We're going to the Bluebird and you're going to sing at Open Mic night!"

"I'll go to Nashville, but I'm not going to sing. I haven't performed in a long time, and I only just started playing the guitar again. I'm not ready for that." Sam shook her head adamantly and felt a wave of fear at the concept of gracing a stage again, especially that of the Bluebird Cafe, where tons of country stars had been discovered. After wearing a cast for two months, followed by another two months of physical therapy, she had only recently started playing the guitar again and while everything seemed to be going well with it, she was scared that overdoing it might cause unexpected problems.

"Sure, sure. We'll just take your guitar with us, just in case you change your mind." Cassie ushered Sam towards the front door, while waving at Donna over their shoulders. "Everything's already packed and in your car, nothing for you to even worry about. And, I'm driving! So, just sit back and relax."

The next afternoon, after the best night's sleep she'd had in a long time and the full-service treatment at a salon downtown, Sam felt rejuvenated, polished and pampered. Cassie had yet to stop complimenting her on the newly highlighted and trimmed hair, the glow to her skin from the facial, and the bright pink nail polish she'd chosen for her nails. Somehow, after the rest and relaxation, she'd been coerced to line up at the Bluebird, write down her name and wait to see if she was chosen to sing that night. Thankfully, there were so many people in line that she doubted that her name would even make it on the list and the thought alone calmed her nerves at least marginally.

At the back of the building, tucked away in the privacy of the shadows, Judah Sterling sipped his third beer and waited for someone to impress him. Sure, there'd been plenty of talent at the Bluebird that night, as there usually was, but thus far none of them had knocked his socks off. For the past fifteen years, he'd been working as a freelance talent scout for several of the studios in town, occupying his time but not monopolizing every day of his life since he didn't actually need the money. As the youngest son of one of the biggest country music stars in the business who'd married into some of the oldest money in Nashville, Judah's bank account was far from small, but he enjoyed keeping busy. Plus, it kept him in constant contact with some of the prettiest ladies in town, which he delved in to as often as possible.

Nearing midnight, his boredom had him heading for the door after a quick trip to the restroom, when the voice he'd been searching for stopped him in his tracks. Turning back to the stage, Judah couldn't tear his eyes away from the petite blonde on the stage, fingers flying through the chords, eyes closed as she belted out the lyrics that had paused his departure.

 _"Don't you wanna stay here a little while...Don't you wanna hold each other tight...Don't you wanna fall asleep with me tonight....Don't you wanna stay here a little while....We could make forever feel this way....Don't you wanna stay"?_ Sam's heart hurt as she sang the chorus of a song she'd started the summer before, but had only managed to finish when her marriage had fallen apart. She was only allowed two songs, and circumstances being as they were, having barely written anything since the wreck and definitely not wanting to sing any of the love songs she'd penned specifically for Daryl, she'd had to go with the two she had written in the past couple of weeks since she'd returned to her music room at the suggestion of her therapist.

 _"Let's take it slow, I don't wanna move too fast...I don't want just make love, I wanna make love last...When you're up this high, it's a sad goodbye."_ Mesmerized, although he couldn't quite say why since the girl singing the song wasn't exactly spectacular, but at the moment, with the emotion in her voice and the talent blaring out of her with each word sang, Judah couldn't tear his eyes away from her. As he leaned against the wooden column, arms crossed over his chest, he could have sworn he'd seen the twinkle of a tear shimmering in the corner of her eye, but as soon as it had sparkled at him it was gone.

 _"Don't you wanna stay?"_ Finishing the song with a breathy tone, Sam blinked away the tears that burned in her eyes, but thankfully hadn't spilled down her cheeks and took a sip of water and flexed her aching wrist before starting the next song. Strumming the guitar, she nodded her head along to the tune and leaned in to the microphone. _"Why does the sun go on shining? Why does the sea rush to shore? Don’t they know it’s the end of the world, ‘Cause you don’t love me anymore?”_

From across the room, Cassie sipped on a diet soda and watched Sam perform, something she hadn't realized she missed as much as she did in spite of the depressing choice in songs. While most of her attention was focused on Sam, she couldn't help but notice the man staring a hole through her best friend as she sang. Although she wasn't overly surprised by his overt interest, since she'd been watching her best friend stop people in their tracks with her voice for years, there was something different about this man; something that screamed money, influence and power. All of which, interested Cassie immensely.

 _"I wake up in the morning and I wonder, why everything’s the same as it was. I can’t understand. No, I can’t understand. How life goes on the way it does."_ She sang the song from memory as though it had been etched in her mind for years, when in reality she had only written it the previous week after a grueling session with her therapist. While her heart still belonged to Daryl, and she couldn't imagine a time when it wouldn't, Sam had to face the truth that he wasn't coming back. He'd been gone for three months without so much as a goodbye, only the delivery of divorce papers that had sent her spiraling further into a fit of depression for weeks. _"Why do the birds go on singing? Why do the stars glow above? Don’t they know it’s the end of the world? It ended when I lost your love.”_

Judah waved away the offer of another beer from the waitress making her rounds through the tables and kept his attention focused solely on the stage as the blonde crooned through the lyrics, emotion lacing her voice and scrawled across her face as she sang from her heart. _"Why does my heart go on beating? Why do these eyes of mine cry? Don’t they know it’s the end of the world? It ended when you said goodbye.”_

Running through the chorus one last time, Sam smiled softly out at the crowd and finished up. _"Don’t they know it’s the end of the world? It ended…when you said goodbye."_ When the last word was sang, the sound of clapping washed on to the stage and Sam was reminded of what she had been missing for months; the love of music, of being on stage and performing. Thanking the crowd, she slipped the strap of the guitar off and headed towards the table that Cassie had snagged earlier in the evening, sweet talking an older gentleman out of it first, but was intercepted before reaching the table. Looking up, her breath hitched at the sight of the man looming over her, tall and lithely built with perfectly groomed blonde hair and a face that certainly had swarms of women swooning for his attention, yet all Sam felt was a twinge of annoyance...until he introduced himself, that is.

"Miss?" Judah stepped in front of her, blocking her path with his tall frame, which wasn't a difficult thing to do since she was so short. Holding out a business card, he continued before she could escape. "The name's Judah Sterling, I'm a talent scout. If you're in town for a bit, give me a call. There's some people I think you should meet."

*Songs: Don't You Wanna Stay by Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson  
The End of the World by Skeeter Davis


	89. Chapter 89

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thought I would post an extra, special Turkey Day chapter for you guys since I am manning the 911 phones tonight. Hope everyone that celebrates this holiday is having a good one.

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_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Previously in the Present:**  
_ Daryl and Sam finally made their way back to one another!! Woo! This isn't a real plot-heavy chapter, but it's a fun one.

 

_**The present: Tuesday, April 10th, 2012** _

Storm clouds were rolling in on the horizon, gloomy and threatening, when Daryl returned from hunting that afternoon. Climbing the steps to drop off his kill for the day, a plentiful bounty of woodland creatures both furry and feathered, he caught sight of movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he spied Sam peeking out from the rear entrance of the municipal building and watched as she scanned the area briefly before raising her hand to wave for him to come over there once he was done with the drop off. Intrigued, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of Sam, Daryl barely acknowledged the praises from the older gentleman who collected the animals at the end of the day; offering only a slight nod before darting back down the stairs and heading towards Sam.

Entering the dimly lit hallway, Daryl found it to be unoccupied and assumed that Sam had retreated back to the stage where she seemed to spend most of her free time; which wasn't much between Jacey, teaching music classes and band practice. Heading towards the closed door at the opposite end of the hallway, his hand was on the doorknob when someone grabbed hold of his other hand and tugged him backwards. Face to face with Sam, her back was against the storage room door as she pulled it shut and locked it behind her with a wicked grin plastered on her face and fire in her eyes. In the pale golden hue of a lantern, Daryl returned the smile as she tumbled in to his arms.

"Not that I don't like what's going on, but you might wanna reconsider since I ain't had a shower yet." Grasping Sam's shoulders loosely, he held her away from his dirty clothes; grimy, dirt covered and blood speckled from the day's hunt. "I'm filthy."

"Yes, yes you are. Very dirty actually." Sam nibbled on her bottom lip, scraping her teeth along the plump flesh, while she eyeballed Daryl with marked interest. Spending the past two nights wrapped in one another's arms, locked at the lip and eventually falling asleep without gratification was doing a number on her hormones and she wondered how long she'd be able to hold out on the ‘taking things slowly’ idea she'd concocted. Gesturing towards Daryl with her hands, a slight wave and wiggle of the fingers, her voice was dripping with suggestion when she spoke. "This works for you, really...I don't know what it is, but disheveled and dirty works. Filthy is good on you."

The hunger in Sam's eyes, the way she chewed on her bottom lip and eyeballed him with all the interest of a lioness stalking an unsuspecting antelope, had his resolve slipping away quickly. Releasing his hold on her shoulders, he accepted Sam in to his arms and moaned at the feel of her soft lips pressed against his, shivers shot down his spine when she skimmed her fingers across the skin on the back of his neck as she buried her hands in the thick hair that brushed the top of his collar. When her tongue pushed past his lips, boldly taking what was undeniably hers as she tasted him, he hardened with desire and pulled her body tightly against his.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked breathlessly when Daryl pulled his lips from hers and took a step backwards; his hands still grasping her waist tightly. Dizzy, drunk on her desire for Daryl, she was grateful that his hands were steadying her, because without them she’d have likely slid to the floor thanks to her wobbly knees.

"Slow, right? That's what you said." His voice was strained and he mentally cursed his restraint, once again not wanting to screw Sam in a less than desirable location; although he was fairly certain that a dank storage closet was far less romantic than the secluded spot near the pond where they'd almost had sex for the first time on more than one occasion so many years ago.

"Oh. Yeah...that." Sam trailed her hands down Daryl's chest, letting them slip slowly from around his neck to caress the soft, worn material of his shirt that covered the hardened planes of his upper body. "We should probably not listen to the person that came up with that whole idea." She murmured, only half joking.

"Probably not, but I gotta go pick up Jace from school anyhow." Releasing his hold on Sam's waist, he captured her hands in his and pulled them up to his lips and brushed a soft kiss across the knuckles of each one before letting them go. Lifting the corner of his lips, smiling in that halfcocked way that Sam loved, he pointed out one very important fact. "Sam, when it is time...it ain't gonna be in no closet."

"Both very valid points. Doesn't mean I have to like them though." Sam muttered, reaching out she grabbed hold of the front of his shirt and pulled him towards her, bodies so close to one another that her breasts pressed against his chest with each breath. Raising up on her tiptoes once more, she covered his lips with hers and kissed him deeply, leaving them both breathless when it was over. Mustering up the restraint she'd possessed the last time around with Daryl, Sam smoothed a hand over her hair and grabbed the lantern off the shelf before unlocking the door. After opening the door enough to peek out in to the hallway, she whispered to Daryl over her shoulder, "Coast is clear."

Once they were both out in the hallway, Daryl bid his farewell and turned to leave, nearly knocking Sam’s father over as he stepped outside. Mumbling an apology, he moved aside to let Jim in to the hallway, all the while avoiding making eye contact with him; knowing full well that if he saw the happiness in his eyes that he would know exactly what he and Sam had been up to.

“Daryl seemed like he was in quite a hurry.” Big Jim pointed out as he approached his daughter, whom he had barely spoken to since revealing his dishonesty regarding their divorce. Guilt weighed heavily on his heart, one that was already broken in its own way and was suffering greatly under the strain of the stress he’d been dealing with as of late. As he closed in on Sam, he saw the flash of anger in her eyes and noticed that the happiness that had sparkled in them when he’d first come through the doorway had diminished. When she didn’t offer up a response to his statement regarding Daryl’s sudden departure, instead yanking open the door to the stage and heading up the stairs, he took a deep breath and followed behind her. “Samantha, baby girl, please talk to me.”

“We have nothing to discuss, Dad.” Sam kept her back turned away from her father and started gathering up her notebooks and pencils that were scattered about the room after a long day of writing. Pain stabbed at her heart as she ignored her father, but she had yet to come to terms with his deception. After spending the majority of the past two nights talking things out with Daryl, she’d come to realize just how big of a role her father had played when it came to keeping them apart. Not only had he gotten Josh to draw up divorce papers, but he’d tried to get Daryl to sign them first and failed, leading him to have her believe that they’d been sent over by Daryl afterwards. Sam had nearly come completely undone in her anger when she had heard all the details about their alleged divorce, as well as the fact that he had turned Daryl away from their doorstep every day for weeks, threatened to have him arrested for trespassing, and blatantly dismissed each and every phone call Daryl had placed to their house.

“I only wanted to give you some peace. You were so heartbroken, so lost, I thought that by having Josh draw up the divorce papers you might get some closure.” Jim explained, pleading his case to the daughter he didn’t realize knew that he had turned Daryl away from their doorstep on more than one occasion. “I just wanted you to be able to heal and move on.”

“Oh, okay…so, every time you told Daryl to stop coming by the house, that I didn’t want to see him was for my benefit? Threatening to have him arrested for trying to see me was for my sake? Please, tell me how keeping Daryl away from me made me better, Daddy? Because I don’t see the logic in your reasoning.” Sam slammed the stack of notebooks down on the piano bench and turned to face her father, radiating with anger. “Everything you did was for you, plain and simple. You never wanted us together and you saw your chance to make sure we stayed apart. But, hey, it worked for you, right? You got what you wanted, no matter what the cost was for me….for us.”

“I admit what I did was wrong, it was selfish and I shouldn’t have done it…shouldn’t have meddled in your life.” Jim took a step forward, trying to bridge the gap between him and his daughter, only to have Sam step away from him. “You’re right, I never wanted the two of you together. I thought you could do better, deserved better…and it took seeing you get what I thought was right for you, a music career and a relationship with someone who I thought was worthy, to see that none of that ever made you happy. I doubt I can apologize enough for that, but I want to try…if you’ll let me.”

“I don’t know, Daddy…I don’t know how to forgive you for this.” Sam wiped at the tears burning in her eyes and tried to quell the flames of anger burning in her chest. She wanted to believe her father, to accept his apology and move past the hurt, but she didn’t know how to forgive him for all the pain he’d facilitated in her life. While there was no guarantee that she and Daryl would have made up and moved past the devastation in their lives after Emily’s death, she wanted to believe that they would have and that they’d only stayed apart because of the role her father had played. Taking a deep calming breath, her hands shook as she picked up the notebooks once more. “I don’t know if I can forgive you, Daddy, but I’ll try…that’s the best I can give you right now.” Without bothering to hear what he had to say on the matter, Sam pushed past the curtain and left the stage.

Later, after dinner, the air was thick with moisture as the impending storm steadily approached. The wind raged, whipped through town fiercely and lighting streaked through the sky in the not so far off distance as Sam walked with Jacey and Daryl towards the backdoor. Before leaning down to kiss Jacey goodnight for the evening, Sam handed over the pocket sized umbrella that was dangling from her wrist, wanting to keep her daughter dry instead of herself in case the rain started before they got home.

“I’ll see you in the morning, ok? Bright and early for breakfast.” Sam kissed Jacey on the forehead and, upon seeing the hesitation in her eyes, hugged her closely. “You’ll be fine, I promise. Daryl’s house is just as safe as ours during storms.”

“She’ll be fine.” Daryl said as he moved to stand next Sam in the hallway when Jacey walked to the open door to stare out at the approaching storms with trepidation scrawled across her face. His hand brushed against hers lightly as he lowered his voice and leaned in close to murmur in her ear. “You could come home with us, stay the night…make sure she’s okay.”

“I have total confidence in your ability to keep her safe from storms.” Sam pointed out, her lips curving in to a soft smile. While Sam was certain that she wasn’t ready to make their fledgling relationship known to anyone else, especially Jacey, the offer to return to his home with them for the night was highly tempting. Spending the past two nights wrapped in his arms, sleeping with the warmth of Daryl’s body pressed against her, definitely made the prospect of sleeping alone later that night seem lackluster and she was looking forward to the next night when Daryl could sneak in to the apartment to spend the night with her again. Angling her head towards him, she murmured, “You two spend the night together and have a good time, because you’re mine tomorrow night.”


	90. Chapter 90

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the lack of update yesterday, but I was home sick with the stomach bug. I tried to post to give a warning, but the phone was having none of it. To make up for the lack of post, I will put up two chapters tonight, I will post chapter 91 before leaving work or maybe sooner since I just need to edit it some.
> 
> While this chapter is in the Past, the timeline has jumped significantly. There are only like 2 more chapters to post in the Past from this point on.

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_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The past: Tuesday, February 5th, 2002**  
_

Sitting at the bar, the darkened wood scuffed and slightly sticky to the touch, Daryl methodically peeled the moistened label from the bottle of beer he’d been nursing for the past half hour. He’d lost track of Merle earlier in the evening, leaving him behind at the house of a local dealer in town that was steadily supplying him with his much needed daily dose of meth. After a disastrous afternoon spent in the dilapidated house that ranked of sweat, piss and vomit, where he’d ended up face down on the stained carpet with a pistol pressed against his head for daring to comment on the stupidity of a grown man watching cartoons, Daryl had promptly left the residence after throwing up the beer he’d had for breakfast. Merle had initially left with him, making it as far as the closest gas station before hightailing it back to his dealer in search of the drugs that were quickly taking over every aspect of his life.

Disgusted with what his life had become, no longer recognizing the face that stared back at him in the mirror, Daryl brooded over what could have been while working his way towards being drunk for the second time that day. Saturated with misery, wallowing in self-pity and lost in his own depressing thoughts, he barely registered what the bartender was saying to him. Lifting his head, he stared at the petite bartender who didn’t look old enough to be in a bar, much less serving alcohol in one, and asked, “What’d you say?”

“Just checking to see if you need a fresh label to tear apart?” Janie replied, while running a dingy wet towel over the bar to clean up the spilled alcohol left behind from the previous customer who’d been too trashed to lift the glass of whiskey to his mouth without slobbering some of it over the rim of the glass. “That one’s gotta be empty or warm by now.”

“Uh, yeah…sure.” Daryl nodded and lifted the half empty bottle to his lips, chugging down the last of the warm beer in time for the bartender replace it with a cold one from the trough below the bar. He didn’t miss the way she leaned over more than necessary to hand him the bottle, low enough to allow her scoop necked shirt to fall forward to show off her ample cleavage, nor did he miss the suggestive sparkle in her gaze when their hands touched briefly. He was a man after all, he just wasn’t in the mood tonight…not yet, anyway. He was far too sober at the moment, but maybe, later in the night when he was numb to the pain in his heart, his vision blurred from the alcohol, maybe then he’d accept her silent offer to lose himself in her long enough to push aside the misery in his life for a moment.

“Um, I was wondering…it’s kind of slow in here tonight,” Janie gestured to the fact that he was the only customer sitting at the bar, and only one of four customers in the whole place. “Would you mind if I turn the TV channel? There’s a band I want to see on the _Tonight Show_ , if that’s okay?”

“Yeah, sure. Have at it.” Turning his attention back to the task at hand, depressing himself further with the dark thoughts running rampant in his head, Daryl started peeling the label from the new bottle of beer. He’d peeled off one lone strip, adding it to the growing pile of shredded paper, and once again missed what the bartender was saying to him. “What?” His voice was harsh, meaner than he’d meant it to be, and he saw the flicker of uncertainty in her dark brown eyes. “Sorry ‘bout that. Bad night.”

“It’s okay. Still nicer than most of the people that come through here.” Janie flipped through the channels, one hip leaned against the counter opposite of Daryl, in search of the right station for the show. “I was just saying thanks for being alright with me changing the channel. Gets real old watching sports and stuff all night long. Of course, if there were more people in here they’d have a fit for me turning it to country music. This isn’t exactly that type of place.”

Nodding along with what she was yammering on about, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, Daryl pulled out a cigarette and stuck it between his lips before lighting it up. Inhaling deeply, he was in the process of exhaling when the sound of Sam’s name fell from the bartender’s lips. Coughing, he finally managed to catch his breath long enough to ask her to repeat herself. “What’d you say about Sam Collins?”

“Oh! You’re a fan? I wouldn’t have figured you to be.” Janie beamed as she laid the remote control on the counter and turned her attention fully to Daryl while waiting for the section of the show when the bands played. Shoving back a lock of ginger colored curls to rest behind her ear, she continued, “I don’t mean anything by that, just you seem more like the hard rock or heavy metal kind of guy…not country, especially not the stuff that Sam Collins sings.”

“I, uh…normally don’t listen to country.” Daryl’s eyes were glued to the television set, certain that the band in question couldn’t possibly be his wife’s band. Covering up his avid interest, he casually asked, “Sam Collins, they new or something? Ain’t never heard of them.”

“Yeah, they’re sorta new.” Crossing to the other end of the bar, she leaned down and riffled through a purse the size of Alabama until she found what she was searching for. Straightening, she walked back over to Daryl and placed the CD she had purchased earlier in the week, after saving up enough money to spend on something so frivolous when she was barely making ends meet, on the bar in front of him. “This is their first album, it came out a couple of months ago.”

Holding the CD case in his hand, Daryl stared down at the image that had his heart clenching in pain. There, staring back at him with glittering eyes the color of emeralds, was Sam looking as beautiful as she’d always been to him, if not more. Blonde hair tumbled around her face and fell over her shoulders in waves topped off by a black cowboy hat and clothed in a pair of painted on blue jeans and an off the shoulder, button up red shirt that amplified her delicate breasts. He barely noticed the three men standing around her, the trio she had played with on occasion, but felt a surge of jealousy tear through him when he realized that Ryan had his hand clasped possessively at Sam’s waist as she leaned in to him.

Hands shaking, grasping the case tight enough that the sharp corners bit in to his hand, Daryl laid it back down on the bar before his anger caused him to break the hard plastic. Unable to tear his eyes away from the sight of Sam, the first glance of her he’d had since the day they’d fought at Merle’s trailer, he struggled with his inner demons and desperately tried to push them back down to the dark depths where they had lived inside him since his marriage had fallen apart. It was only the squeal of excitement from the bartender announcing that the band was about to play that moved his attention away from the CD cover to the television just in time to see Sam walk out on to the stage, followed closely behind by her band mates.

Daryl let out a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding in and leaned forward, putting his forearms on the bar as though those few inches would bring him closer to Sam. Looking less like the Sam he had once known and more like the Sam he knew he would never get the chance to know, she walked out on to the glittering stage decked out in a tight black leather dress that fell to just above her knees with a plunging neckline and hugged her body, held tight to the gentle curves that his hands and mouth had explored once upon a time, and sky high black stilettos that had him wondering when she had learned to walk in without lurching to the side, the way she had done the night she’d tried on a pair of Cassie’s just to see what they felt like. Bright blonde hair framed her face like a luminous halo and her full lips, the ones he used to caress with his own, were painted the deep color of a rich, dark red wine. Captivated by her beauty, drawn in by the incandescent smile he longed for, Daryl waited with baited breath for Sam to step up to the microphone and sing for him.

“Performing the newest single, Need You Now, from their debut album, _Sparks Fly_ ,” Jay Leno announced, his voice deep yet slightly nasally, as the camera moved back to the stage while the audience applauded. “Please welcome, _The Sam Collins Band_!”

_“Picture perfect memories scattered all around the floor…Reaching for the phone ‘cause I can’t fight it anymore.”_ Daryl stared wide eyed as Sam sang the opening lyrics to the song that he instinctively knew was about him, but then again…that could just be wishful thinking. _“And I wonder if I ever cross your mind…For me it happens all the time.”_

“It’s a quarter after one, I’m all alone and I need you now…Said I wouldn’t call but I’ve lost all control and I need you now…And I don’t know how I can do without…I just need you now.” His beer long since forgotten, beads of sweat trickling down the brown glass bottle to pool around the base, Daryl focused solely on the television as the rest of the world around him faded to black. “Another shot of whiskey, can’t stop looking at the door….Wishing you’d come sweeping in the way you did before. And I wonder if I ever cross your mind? For me it happens all the time.”

_“It’s a quarter after one, I’m a little drunk and I need you now…Said I wouldn’t call, but I’ve lost all control and I need you now.”_ Hearing Sam sing about being drunk, much less drinking at all, had his hopes dashing away that the song was about him. He’d never seen her drink at all, except the tiny sip she’d taken experimentally, but he couldn’t figure out what the meaning of the song was since he knew that Sam always sang from the heart, from experience. But, then again, once he heard the next line, his reasoning flew out the window…maybe Sam had started drinking after their marriage fell apart. Stranger things had happened in life, right? _“Guess I’d rather hurt than feel nothing at all.”_

_“It’s a quarter after one, I’m all alone and I need you now…And I said I wouldn’t call, but I’m a little drunk and I need you now.”_ As the final chorus of the song spilled past Sam’s lips, the pain and need in her heart filling the words with heavy emotion, Daryl tossed a handful of crumpled bills on to the bar and mumbled his goodbye to the bartender. As Sam’s words followed him out of the bar, he stormed out of the dank building with a mission to purchase his own copy of her CD so he could listen to each and every song on it; so he could immerse himself in her thoughts, her words, and her feelings. _“And I don’t know how I can do without...I just need you now…I just need you now…Oh, baby, I need you now.”_

 

*Song: Need You Now by Lady Antebellum*


	91. Chapter 91

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have posted two chapters, so make sure to read Chapter 90 if you missed last night's post. :) Had to make up for the lack of post Sunday night with two of them on Monday night. And, be forewarned...there's no angst! Go me! Hope you all enjoy, I know there has been much anticipation for this particular chapter.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The Present: Thursday, April 19th, 2012**  
_

The past week had flown by in an exhausting, but exhilarating blur. Each day Sam struggled to keep her hands off Daryl, yet her nights were spent doing just the opposite. Except on the nights when Jacey stayed over at Daryl’s, those nights were spent lying in bed alone aching for the feel of his body pressed against hers, longing for the moment when she could be in his arms once more. That yearning had already started to build, having bid him and Jacey farewell after dinner and retreated to her apartment all alone; not even lucky to be able to bide her time with Cassie, who had been spending more and more time at Rick’s house instead of her own apartment.

It was that loneliness, that craving to be in Daryl’s arms that inevitably produced the idea in her head that Sam couldn’t shake no matter how hard she tried, especially after she realized what day it was. Perched on the edge of the bathtub, where two buckets of rainwater that had were warm from the afternoon sun, Sam reached for the pair of nearby scissors and started methodically trimming away as much of the furry growth on her legs as possible in hopes of making shaving a little bit easier. Once the hair was cut down to a manageable length, she retrieved the new razor and shaving cream she’d procured in the supply store and got busy removing the hair that had been on her legs for well over a year.

A considerable amount of time later, legs and underarms shaved, Sam was left with the decision as to what to do with her lady parts area. After a great deal of consideration, she ended up trimming the area down as close as possible and shaving the outer edges into a neat triangle. It wasn’t nearly as groomed as she’d been the last time Daryl had seen that certain part of her body, but at least it wasn’t grown out like an unkempt hedge. Once the bathroom had been cleaned up, she thoroughly applied lotion to every square inch of her body and dressed in the sexiest pair of undergarments she had at her apartment, a pair of rose printed hip hugging panties and a lace trimmed bra in a coordinating color, since she’d clearly lost the matching bra at some point. A glance at the clock showed that it was far too early to leave, so Sam pulled on her bathrobe and grabbed the basket full of nail supplies off of the bathroom shelf as she headed towards the living room.

Thoroughly groomed from head to toe, Sam shoved a small knife into her back pocket and stuck her pistol into the holster on her right hip as she headed out the door; the clock by the door ticking away slowly to the midnight hour. Locking the door behind her, Sam clamored down the back stairs, jogged towards the end of the street and skirted along the shadows of the tree line, making her way towards the home she had once shared with Daryl. Once she was within sight of his house, she scampered across the street and headed through the backyards of two other houses until she was standing at rear of his home. Cautiously eyeballing the area around her to make sure it was clear, she tapped on the window with the edge of the flashlight in her hand until she heard Daryl moving around inside.

“Sam? What’s wrong? Everything okay?” Daryl asked, his eyes bleary as he stared out the open window at Sam. Leaning out the window slightly, he glanced around the backyard curiously, as if he could see anything out there in the darkness of night, before turning his attention back to Sam.

“Wouldn’t be knocking on your bedroom window if I was in danger.” Sam pointed out, a smile tickling at the corners of her mouth as she cocked her head and pinned him with a pointed look. “Can I come in?”

“Yeah, sure.” Moving aside after Sam waved off the offer of his hand for assistance climbing through the window, Daryl held on to her flashlight and watched as she expertly hefted herself up on to the windowsill and crawled inside. Once she was safely in his room, he closed the window and turned to face Sam. “Why in the hell are you running around alone at night?”

“I wanted to see you.” Sam’s reply was soft spoken as she reached out to Daryl and trailed her fingers down his arm until they reached his hand and intertwined their fingers together. Poking her bottom lip out, pouting playfully, she innocently asked, “I can leave if you want me, too?”

“Nah, you’re here already and all.” Laying the flashlight on the windowsill, Daryl wrapped his arms around Sam dipped his head and covered her lips with his own. While he was irritated that she’d been so irresponsible, darting around in the middle of the night unaccompanied, he was also thrilled that she was there with him. Pulling her tightly against him, their embrace deepened quickly, pressure building until they were both burning with desire.

With only the pale beam of light offered up from the flashlight, Sam slipped her hands beneath the worn material of his sleeveless shirt and slid the slowly up the hardened muscles of his torso, pulling away from his lips long enough to slip it off of him completely. Splaying her hands on his chest, the soft smattering of hair tickled her palms as she explored. Sliding her hands down his body, gently grazing the tips of her fingernails as she moved them from his chest towards his waist, she peered up at him hungrily beneath thick lashes. “You know that whole take things slow thing I came up with?”

“Yeah, I’m familiar with it.” Daryl’s voice was gravelly and thick, full of emotion as he stared down in to Sam’s eyes, the desire and need he found in them sent chills down his spine. Her nails skimmed across his stomach, teasing his flesh as she trailed her hands down his body and settled at the waistband of his pants.

Leaning forward, Sam placed a kiss directly over his heart, lingering there and inhaling the scent that was purely Daryl; manly, sexy, smoky. Moving her lips across his chest, marking her words with feather light kisses, she whispered her words against his skin, “I’d like to retract that statement, if that’s okay with you.” She smiled, her lips still lingering on his chest, hands grasping at his narrow hips, when he uttered a barely coherent string of words in agreement to her suggestion.

Pulling back from Daryl, Sam grabbed hold of the hem of her shirt and tugged it over her head and tossed it to the floor to lay across his. Standing there before him in her delicate pink bra, her stomach erupted in a flurry of nervous flutters as Daryl’s eyes washed over her with an appreciative glint in them. Her heart thundered in her chest, beating wildly against her breastbone, as she reached out for him once more; his skin was heated beneath her tentative touch. It had been twelve years since they’d last been intimate, enough time spent that it was almost like the first time again.

As they awkwardly stumbled towards the bed, tangled in one another’s arms, Sam kicked off the slip on sneaker she had chosen for the simplicity of removing them. The backs of Daryl’s legs hit the bed and Sam surged forward to push him back on to the mattress before crawling up his body. Straddling him, her heated center pressed against his hardened bulge, she leaned forward and covered his lips with her own, moaning appreciatively when he thrust his tongue inside her mouth as he rolled her over on to her back, settling between her thighs.

Staring up at Daryl, the face she was so familiar with now weathered with age and experience, Sam lifted her hands and brushed back the long locks of hair and pulled him down to press their lips together once more. Tasting one another, their tongues caressed, and teeth scraped and lips bruised beneath the weight of their need. Sam whimpered when his lips left hers, the breathy sounds of her voice quickly turning to that of moans of desire as he nuzzled against the smooth column of her neck, lips skimming across the tender skin, teeth nipping as worked his way past to dip his tongue in the hollow of her throat and lick a teasing line all the way to the center of her chest, where he placed a soft kiss between her breasts.

Her hands were tangled in his hair, grasping tightly as she writhed in his arms. Daryl pushed aside the cup of her lacy bra, baring her breast to his hungry gaze and smiled as she sucked in a breath when his lips grazed the tip of one pert nipple, his tongue darting out to lick the tip of the tight nub before closing his mouth around it and sucking lightly. Lifting his head up, he gazed up at Sam from between the gentle swells of her breasts, her eyes were closed and lips parted in ecstasy that he created. Sliding a hand along her side, he skimmed across the heated flesh, caressed a trail from her hip over her ribs, and eased around her side as he lifted her slightly with his other arm, slipping in behind to unhook her bra and remove it from her body.

Bare to him now from the waist up, moisture pooled at her center when she caught sight of the hunger in Daryl’s gaze; the want, the need, the desire for her evident in his eyes. Sam trembled under the heat of his stare as he slipped down her body, kissing a trail from her breasts to dip a tongue in to her belly button as he worked on the button of her jeans. Aching for him, Sam lifted her hips off the bed to allow him to slide her jeans from her body. The need to have Daryl fill her body was so overwhelming that her body tingled with desire that burned low in her belly and begged for more.

“Condoms. Back pocket.” Sam pointed towards the jeans in Daryl’s hand, calling out the need for the protection she’d remembered to bring with her before he tossed the garment to the floor with their other clothes. She blushed furiously as he dug into the back pocket and produced a strand of foil wrapped condoms, realizing the implications of bringing five of them with her when he cocked an eyebrow at her suggestively. “What? I just grabbed them, I didn’t count.”

Daryl let Sam’s pants fall to the floor as he tossed the condoms on to the bed next to her, his hands were on the button of his pants when she sat up, crawled towards the end of the mattress and reached out for him. In the dim light of the room, her skin was pale and the cascading waves of honey colored locks reminded him of the angel he’d always thought she had been to him; a seraph of light to save him from the darkness of his world.

Her hands trembled, quaked with an uncontrollable mix of anxiousness and passion, as she undid the button of his pants. Sliding them over his hips, letting them pool around his feet on the floor, his hardened length jutted out towards her; thick and glistening with arousal. Reaching out, Sam tenderly wrapped her hand around his shaft, the heat from his desire for her hot against the palm of her hand as she slid her it slowly towards the tip, swirling the pad of her thumb over the sensitive skin, feeling the moisture that was beaded there spread across her skin. Looking up, Sam watched the mixture of emotions play out on his beautiful features, eyes closed and jaw tense, he thrust forward in the tight hold of her hand and moaned deep in his throat as she caressed him as he rocked with each movement of her hand.

His eyes were closed, squeezed tight as though he was in pain, but in reality he was holding back the arousal that swirled inside his body at the feel of Sam’s hand wrapped tightly around his shaft. Years spent holding himself away from others, refusing to seek solace in the comfort of another, separating himself from everyone else in the world had his body on the verge of coming undone from one just the simple feel of her touching him. Lost in the need to control his thundering emotions, Daryl missed the sounds of Sam wriggling off the bed to kneel on the floor at his feet, until the moist heat of her mouth wrapped around him.

Sam moaned deep in her throat as she slid her mouth around his hardened shaft. Her senses filled with the musky, male scent of Daryl pressed against her, the salty taste of him in her mouth. His hands were buried in her hair, tangled in the silken strands as he moved with her as she worked to bring him to completion; to milk him of the passion and craving that lay deep within. Desire pooled at the apex of her thighs, dampening her underwear with excitement as she brought forth his release. Sam barely registered his softly spoken warnings, the gruffness in his voice deepened with his desire for her, as he tried to let her know that his release was near. Removing her hand from the base of his cock, Sam slid them around his hips to cup his ass and urge him on. Moaning around him, Sam tightened her hold on him as he thrust his hips forward once final time, spilling his release into her mouth and shaking with passion as she swallowed every single drop of his desire.

Breathing heavy, Daryl slid from Sam’s mouth, his shaft still hardened with a desire that had yet to be satiated for her. Pulling her up from the floor, Daryl hooked his thumbs around the lace edges of her underwear and yanked them down her body, tossing them to the floor with their other clothes. Sliding his hands down her body, caressing the curves of womanhood she’d not had the last time he’d been inside of her, Daryl cupped his hands under her buttocks and lifted Sam up in to his arms. He settled Sam onto the bed and watched with hungry eyes as she slid towards the middle of the mattress and waited for him to join her. Crawling up towards her, he covered her body with his and laid down between her quivering thighs.

Sam’s breath hitched in her chest, the heat in Daryl’s gaze had her panting with desire as he crawled up her body and settled between her thighs; the tip of his shaft nudged at silken folds, demanding to be let inside. Fire burned low in her belly, moisture pooled from her center, and her legs shook with desire as she watched him tear open a foil packet and sheath himself in the condom. Their gazes stayed locked on one another as he leaned in to capture her lips, bruising them with the force of his passion.

Lifting her hands to his face, she brushed the tip of her finger of his lip when he pulled away from their kiss. Finding her voice, she asked a question that she really didn’t need to hear the answer to in order to have sex with Daryl, but her heart wanted to hear it if she wanted to make love to him. Murmuring in the near darkness, thankful for the protective shadows it offered, she timidly spoke, “Tell me you love me.”

“I never stopped.” The tenderness and truth in his voice shook Sam to the core as he pushed inside her, filling her with what she had been needing for years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The conclusion to this steamy chapter will be posted when I get back to work Tuesday night!


	92. Chapter 92

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The present: Friday, April 20th, 2012**  
_

 

Nestled inside Sam, Daryl stilled, closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to hers; desperately trying to calm the overwhelming feelings coursing through his body, threatening to bring forth the release he wanted to prolong. It had been too many years, too long without comfort, too long since he had sought out a moment of pleasure with a woman and now he had to fight off the desire to push deeper, thrust harder, and seek the climax his body craved. Tonight wasn't about the quick rush of sex, the instant gratification of fucking. No, tonight was about loving the woman he ached for, desired, and loved beyond reason...the woman he had craved for as long as he could remember.

Feeling as though he had his emotions under control, Daryl opened his eyes and was met with Sam's piercing emerald gaze that was shimmering with tears that were slowly slipping out of the corners of her eyes. Worried, remembering that she had admitted to having not had sex in a while, he asked, "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

"No, I just...it's..." Sam struggled to find the words that would explain what she was feeling, clue Daryl in to how perfect it felt to be in his arms again, to have him inside her body once more...that it felt like finally coming home. With her hands gently wrapped around his neck, she pulled him forward and murmured her words against his lips before kissing him deeply, "It's perfect."

Sam's thighs tightened at his waist, feet planted in to the mattress as she urged him to take what was his with a swirl of her hips. Pleasure etched on to her face when he thrust in to her, filled her deeply and laid claim to her body. Thrusting his tongue in to her mouth, Daryl felt her moan of desire on his lips as they moved together, seeking to soothe the ache that filled their hearts and bodies. She arched her hips beneath him, pushing him further in to her moist heat; he swelled even more within her.

His hand tightened at her waist, grasping at her hipbone as he plunged deep within Sam's body. Her nails bit in to his skin from where she clung to him, pinching in to his shoulders with a pain that should have hurt, but only brought pleasure. Their gazes connected, burned in to their souls, as they sought out the release they both craved.

_Desired._

_Ached._

_Loved._

She fluttered around him, squeezed him as her orgasm started to build, as a burn low in her belly flamed to life. Her delicate moans of desire grew deeper, louder and threatened to give away their secret tryst if they intensified. Dipping his head, Daryl captured her lips only moments before her orgasm tore through her; smothering her cry of passion and devouring it. Clenched tightly around him, her body spasmed as pleasure seared through it. As Sam crested the final wave of release, Daryl thrust in to her deeply, pushed inside her fiercely seeking to join her in her throes of passion. Diving in, giving himself over to the yearning that scorched him from within, he followed Sam over the final edge and collapsed in her arms.

"That was excellent. Amazing even." Sam breathed once she had finally found her voice after they were momentarily sated and she was laying in his arms with her head on his chest. Angling her head, she peppered his chest with soft kisses and skimmed the palms of her hands over his heated flesh as though she couldn't get enough of the feel of him. Tucked against his side, one leg thrown over his, she exclaimed, "We should definitely do that more."

Chuckling softly at Sam's comments, he trailed a finger down the curve of her bare back, unknowingly leaving a trail of chill bumps in its wake, and asked, "I ain't complaining, but what changed your mind 'bout going slow?"

"Do you know what today is?" Sam tilted her head up to look at Daryl and, when he shook his head slightly side to side indicating that he didn't, she propped herself up on her left arm so she could look down at him while she explained. "Twelve years ago today was when we had the fight, the big one, when I was so horrible that you left. I've hated this day for years, only one other day in my life has ever been worse than that one. So, I got it in my head to make a different memory for today, a good one to replace the bad."

Lifting his hand, Daryl brushed back the locks of hair that tumbled over Sam's shoulders, blocking the small amount of light in the room so that he could barely see her face. With his hand tucked around the base of her neck, he pulled her down to him and kissed her gently, a whisper of his love for her brushed across her lips. "We'll make new memories, cover up all the bad." Even as he spoke the promise, he knew it was impossible. There was one memory that would forever break their hearts, one horrible incident that would forever make sure they were never fully healed inside.

"I like that plan." Only a few breaths away from his lips, Sam traced the tip of her finger across his lips before leaning down to return the gentle kiss of his promise. She looked forward to creating new memories with Daryl, covering up the sad with happy, but knew in her heart that there was one that they could never rid their hearts of. No amount of happy days, good memories, could ever erase the pain in her heart. There would always be a part of her that would be heartbroken, because she could never get over the pain of losing their baby.

But, maybe they could learn to live with that heartache this time around. Maybe they could learn to live while being incomplete. The hope that swelled in Sam's heart at that thought was frightening, but she had tried living without Daryl and she'd failed miserably at it. It was time to learn to live with him once more.

Looking down in to the beautiful face she'd missed so very much, Sam found herself growing serious; helpless to the wave of sadness that suddenly washed over her. "I wish we could go back in time and fix everything that went wrong. I hate we missed out on so many years together."

"Me, too." There was a lot of things in his past he wished he could change, but walking away from his marriage was the one thing he regretted the most. No, it was letting his loyalty to his brother lead him down the road that had come close to ending his life on more than one occasion was what he regretted the most, because had he made better choices then maybe the rest of his life would not have crumbled down around him. "But, we got now...a second chance. Don’t many get that."

Moving her leg ever so slightly, readjusting her position, Sam straddled Daryl and stared down at him with a seductive grin on her face. Feeling his member beneath her, pressing against delicate folds, she slowly ground her sex against him and bit her lower lip as she felt him begin to harden against her. Moisture pooled at her center, as a slow ache started to build and beg for Daryl to be buried inside her once more. Time hadn't eased the craving they had for one another, hadn't dampened the desire that burned inside them.

With his hands on her hips, Daryl ground his teeth and fought the urge to thrust upwards into Sam, as she teased him mercifully by slipping her moist heat along his throbbing shaft. Slowly, painfully so, she caressed him with the tender folds of her sex, slicking him with her arousal and torturing him with her movements. It may have been nearly twelve and a half years since they'd last had sex, but their bodies still yearned for one another after all this time.

Sam slid her hands on to his chest, clenching them slightly to dig her nails into his skin gently and licked her lips in anticipation when Daryl leaned his head back, parted his lips and moaned her name like it was the most glorious thing he'd ever heard. Leaning over, she pressed open mouthed kisses across his chest, while moving her hips in tantalizing little circles; just enough movement against his shaft to have him squirming beneath her.

Daryl's hands grasped tightly at Sam's waist, his fingers pushed against her hipbones with a bruising force as he desperately tried to remain calm beneath her ministrations. He throbbed beneath her, ached between the moist folds that slipped along his flesh, and arched up towards her, begging Sam to slide him home. Her laughter was soft against his skin as she pressed kisses in to his chest. "Sam." His voice was husky and thick with emotion. "You trying to kill me?"

Her tongue rasped across his nipple, budding it with desire. The wet heat of her tongue left chills over his skin as she licked her way across his chest. Daryl wanted to let her play, let Sam explore the body she was relearning after so many years, but the lust that raged inside his body was screaming at him to roll her over and thrust in to her, to dive into her body roughly until they were both trembling their release. Just as he was crooking a knee, pressing a foot in to the mattress to roll them over, Daryl heard the delicious sound of a wrapper being crinkled, torn and tossed aside, moments before the slick feel of her sex lifted off his shaft to be replaced with the delicate touch of her hand as Sam sheathed him in protection.

He watched her with hungry eyes, a heated stare that seared through her body, as she positioned him at her entrance and sank down on to his hardened shaft slowly; inch by fucking inch until he was buried to the hilt inside her. Rising above him, she lowered down on him achingly slow, before riding him to completion. Rough, quick, frantic, Sam's nails bit down into the skin of his stomach as she sought out yet another release; wondering just how many times it would take before the craving for Daryl was sated. When she came, it was blinding, searing through her with such intensity that she had to bite down on her bottom lip to keep from screaming out. And yet, her hips surged forward, kept moving and seeking out more.

_Needing._

_Wanting._

_Aching._

Spent for the moment, Sam tumbled down onto Daryl's chest, the light smattering of his chest hair pressed against her breasts and tickled her sensitive nipples; that simple sensation enough to have her body tingling with anticipation once more. Sighing with happiness, Sam murmured, her voice heavily laced with exhaustion, "Not bad for a guy that's nearly forty."

Daryl had half a mind to prove to her that while he might be creeping towards middle age, his body was still as young as it had been back when they were married, but the sight of Sam sliding off of him diverted his sarcastic comments. "Where you think you're going?"

"I need to get home. Jacey's going to be up in a couple of hours, heck the whole town will." Scooting off the end of the bed, she was searching for her underwear when Daryl's arms wrapped around her and tugged her back up the bed. She'd forgotten just how deceptive his looks were, just how strong he was.

"You stay. I ain't letting you go off in the dark." Daryl pushed her back down on the bed, pointing at Sam to stay where he put her while discarding the condom that was threatening to slip off his softening member and make a mess. With his back turned to Sam, he told her exactly what she was going to be doing the rest of the night. "You can go out the window after daybreak, go around to the carport and claim you came over because you missed her or something. But you ain't going back out there, alone."

Sleep came faster in Daryl's arms, their naked flesh pressed against one another, eased away the worries in her mind and let her busy mind slip away into a peaceful slumber. Momentarily sated, on the brink of exhaustion, blissfully happy, Sam's last memory before she fell into a deep sleep was the feel of his lips brushing across the back of her neck and the softly murmured words of his adoration for her breathed across her skin.


	93. Chapter 93

_**The past: Thursday, February 10th, 2005** _

In yet another rented house that was barely suitable for living in, in a small town about fifty miles outside of Atlanta that few had ever heard of, Daryl was rummaging through the scratched and dented cabinets in search of something to eat. Locating a couple pieces of bread that were only moments away from molding and a scrap or two of lunch meat, he was in the process of constructing a pitiful meal when he heard the VJ on CMT announce that the latest video from The Sam Collins Band was up next on the lunch playlist. Quickly slathering on a meager amount of yellow mustard on to the bread, Daryl tossed the knife in to the sink with a clatter and was lured in to the living room by the sound of Sam’s voice. The television in their household stayed on the country music station the majority of the day, turned in on the hope that of one of her music videos coming on or that he might hear news that pertained to her; so long as Merle wasn't in the house, that is. His brother had yet to find out about Sam's success and Daryl hoped to keep it that way as long as he can, knowing full well that if Merle found out about her money he would figure out a way to weasel some of it out of her.

Turning the corner from the narrow, dark hallway in to the living room, flimsy paper plate that barely supported the pathetic excuse of a sandwich tucked in one hand and a beer in the other, Daryl flopped down in the cracked leather recliner that had been in the house when they had moved in. Lunch momentarily forgotten, perched on the table that in reality was just two milk crates stacked on top of one another, Daryl focused his attention to the television and watched the new video release the announcer had referred to earlier in the day.

His breath hitched in his chest when the camera panned to her, clad in nothing but a smile that was tinged with sadness and draped in a pristine white sheet as she sang up to the camera from a bed. Her golden locks were disheveled, spread out around her head like a halo across the stark white sheets.

_"Woke up late today and I still feel the sting of the pain, but I brushed my teeth anyway...I got dressed through the mess and put a smile on my face...I get a little bit stronger."_ Clasping the sheets tightly against her chest, Sam crawled from the bed and walked across the bedroom to stare out the window with a wistful expression on her face.

Daryl's eyes were glued to the screen, his heart thudded in his chest as he deciphered each and every word, trying to understand what Sam was saying to him. Because, even after all these years, he still knew her and knew that she was speaking to him the only way she knew how...through her music.

_"Riding in the car to work and I'm trying to ignore the hurt, so I turned on the radio...Stupid song made me think of you...I listened to it for a minute, but then I changed it...I'm getting a little bit stronger...Just a little bit stronger."_ Dressed in a long-sleeved plaid shirt, clearly a man's dress shirt since it swallowed her tiny frame and fell nearly to her knees, Sam sat on a fluffy white couch and held a matching accent pillow to her chest; clinging to it as she sang to the camera with determined, but tear-filled eyes.

_"And I'm done hoping that we could work it out...I'm done with how it feels...Spinning my wheels...Letting you drag my heart around."_ He was glad that the video was Sam and only Sam, unlike the previous music videos where her band mates were strategically placed throughout the scenery. Most importantly, the one video of the song the band had performed on the Tonight Show, which had ended with Sam falling into Ryan's arms, as though he was the man she'd been singing about. That video had nearly caused Daryl to explode with anger, wanting to punch the television as though he could reach inside and tear her from the other man's arms. _"And I'm done thinking that you could ever change...I know in my heart will never be the same, but I'm telling myself I'll be okay...Even on my weakest days, I get a little bit stronger...I get a little bit stronger."_

_“Doesn’t happen overnight, but you turn around a month’s gone by, and you realize you haven’t cried. I’m not giving you an hour or a second or another minute longer. I’m busy getting stronger.”_ As Sam professed her strength, the determination she had to move past the heartache in her life, Daryl reached for the rapidly cooling can of beer next to him and chugged down half of it while she recited the chorus once more. It wasn’t like he hadn’t expected her to move on, to get on with her life, far from that actually. He had honestly thought that Sam would have moved on long before now, and had stupidly let his hopes grow with each passing day and song she sang about him; taking the songs about her aching heart as a sign that she at least still had feelings for him.

_"Getting along without you baby...I'm better off without you baby...How does it feel without me, baby? I'm getting stronger without you, baby."_ Laying over on to the couch now, pillow still clutch protectively at her chest, Sam told him that she was moving on, trying to get past the heartache that had plagued her for years. Sitting in a shabby living room, in a shithole of a town just outside of Atlanta, Daryl felt his heart cry out in pain. Logic told him it was ridiculous to be upset by the meaning of the song since he had lost Sam long ago, but logic played no role in how Daryl felt about the only woman he had ever loved. He didn't want her to move on, didn't want Sam to grow strong enough to get over him, because deep down in his heart Daryl still hoped that one day they could mend the hurt that had driven them apart. That hope was what drove him to wake up every morning and continue living, if you could call what he had been doing the past five years living.

_"And, I'm done thinking that you could ever change...I know my heart will never be the same, but I'm telling myself I'll be okay...Even on my weakest days, I get a little bit stronger...I get a little bit stronger."_ Elbows resting on his knees, Daryl bent forward and rested the palms of his hands against his forehead, sorrow clutching as his heart because Sam had no idea how right she was about how he was unable to change, how he had followed blindly in the wake of his brother and let himself become the man he had once hoped to never become. The despair that dwelled in his heart grew deeper as he realized that even if he were able to make contact with Sam that he was so far beneath her now that he would never have a chance with her now. Not after everything he had done since he had walked out on her. Not since he had become a complete and utter asshole, just like his brother...just like his father.

_"I'm just a little bit stronger. A little bit, a little bit, a little bit stronger. I get a little bit stronger."_

As Sam softly sang the last words of the song, Daryl lifted his head from his hands and stared in to her eyes as she focused on the camera. A bitter laugh escaped his lips and he wondered if Sam knew how strong she really was? She was the one that had come out on top, the one that had overcome the pain and misery that had ripped through their relationship and torn their love apart. Staring into her luminous emerald eyes, he wished that he could see her once more, at least one final time to tell her just that...to tell her how proud he was of her, how happy he was that she had crawled her way out of the black pit of despair that had plagued her heart after their daughter died, and how strong she truly was for fighting her way back to the light that he had always seen in her.

When her image faded away from the screen, cutting away from the song that had his heart splitting in two, the deep voice of the announcer caught his attention. Not so much the sound of his voice, but what he was saying had Daryl on the edge of his seat, hope filling his empty chest once more.

That weekend Sam's band would be playing at the Tabernacle. Right then and there, come Hell or high water, he was going to be at that concert and he was going to do everything in his power to see Sam...If it was the last thing he ever did he was going to tell her everything he hoped she wanted to hear from him.

*Song: Little Bit Stronger by Sara Evans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a bit shorter than the rest, but on the upside, it is almost the last chapter in the Past! From here on out, with the exception of one more chapter, the rest of the updates will be in the Present! Yay!


	94. Chapter 94

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the reviews and kudos!

_**Previously in the Past:**_ SEX!!!! Sam and Daryl finally had the SEX!!!

 

_**The present: Friday, April 20th, 2012** _

Dawn. It woke slowly, rising over the horizon to mark its territory with swirling hues of vibrant orange and deep violet. Daryl woke shortly after the first ray burst into the sky, the way he had done so since the outbreak, when his survival lay solely on his ability to disappear in to the woods and hunt the creatures that were barely awake. Blinking against the sleepiness that continued to plague him, the few hours of sleep not nearly enough to replenish the energy spent lavishing attention to Sam’s body the night before, he tightened his hold on the naked figure that was curled against him; still unaware that morning had begun.

She woke to the feeling of his lips on her forehead, a gentle whisper of his affection pressed lovingly to her skin. Groaning, desperately hoping that the morning could rewind so she could spend just a few more hours wrapped in Daryl’s embrace, slumbering peacefully, Sam snuggled against him and refused to open her eyes and face the sunrise. “Don’t wanna get up.”

“Don’t gotta if you don’t wanna, but Jace will be up shortly. Kid is damn near starved by breakfast.” Daryl murmured with his lips still pressed against her forehead. A comment about how his little sisters’ appetite rivaled the one that Sam had once had was on the tip of his tongue, but was soon forgotten at the feel of her hands skimming down his chest to slip beneath the sheet. When the tips of her fingers caressed over the swell of his shaft, Daryl’s hips twitched and a groan slipped past his lips. “That’s not gonna get you outta here no sooner.”

“So long as I’m out the window before Jacey wakes up, right?” Sam whispered against his skin as she placed feather light kisses across his chest. The ache that seemed ever present when she was in Daryl’s arms started to build; a craving that refused to be quelled. Wrapping her hand around the thick, hardened member, she peeked up at him with a wicked smile. “Plus, seems a shame to let this go to waste.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Daryl growled, thrusting against the hold Sam had on him before rolling over on top of her. He bent his head, capturing her lips with hers, thrusting his tongue inside her mouth; kissing her deeply, roughly, possessively. His hand skimmed down her side, the rough calluses on his palms sent tingles over her skin as he traced the curves of her body and slipped between their bodies.

She was wet for him already. Sam arched against his touch. The roughened callused tips of his fingers caressed the tender folds of her sex and had her squirming beneath his body. Daryl’s eyes were on her, hungry and on fire with the desire he possessed for her, as he pushed two fingers inside her body; exploring the most intimate part of her body. Moaning, Sam bit her bottom lip in an attempt to contain the cries of passion that threatened to slip past her lips. The feeling of his fingers inside her drove her wild, only caused the craving for him to worsen. He didn’t need foreplay when it came to Daryl, her body desired him and instantly came alive with his touch.

Shaking his head at the sight of Sam reaching for one of the condoms on the nightstand, Daryl slipped his fingers from her sex and pressed a string of kisses against the column of her neck. “Never was one for the buildup.” His voice rasped against her skin when he spoke.

“No need for it with you.” Sam replied breathlessly with complete honesty. With Daryl her body didn’t need to get warmed up, it was ready to go with just the slightest of touches from him. With the other men in her sex life, she had needed a great deal of foreplay before her body was ready for the act itself. Not because she didn’t find them both very attractive, but for a reason that she was just beginning to understand…her body belonged to Daryl. Always had and always would.

She had him sheathed in a matter of moments, hands shaky with barely controlled desire, but effective in the end. Thighs locked around his hips, a cry of ecstasy slipped out as he filled her, pushed inside of her body to fill her deeply. Moving together, hips rocking against one another, their coupling was hard and fast and rough…frenzied as though they hadn’t just made love several hours before. A fiery climax tore through Sam’s body, clenched her tight walls around Daryl’s shaft and milked his passion from his body.

Afterwards, Daryl laid in the bed and watched Sam dress, enjoying the view of her naked body standing against the backdrop of dawn, but hating that she was quickly covering up the view with clothes. He was hard once more, thick and aching to be buried in her tight heat again and he wondered if that craving for Sam would ever dissipate. No woman had ever held his attention like Sam, his body had never yearned for another woman with the ferocity that it desired her. His addiction for Sam seemed to have only intensified for her over the years and he had a feeling it would never disappear.

Leaning over the bed, Sam trailed her index finger down Daryl’s chest, following the faint pathway until she reached the edge of the sheet that barely covered his hips. Glancing down to where her finger was, she smiled at the bulge beneath the sheets and bit her bottom lip to fight the urge to slip her hand under the soft material to touch it. Pulling her hand back like it was on fire, figuring it was best to stop touching him altogether if she planned on getting out of there anytime soon, Sam brushed a kiss over his waiting lips. “I think someone’s about to knock on your door.” She smiled at the joke as she turned towards the window, following along with his plan for her to slip out the window and just happen to show up at the door to join him and Jacey for breakfast.

As she crawled out of the window, Sam’s grasp on the windowsill slipped and she slid out faster than she had anticipated. A curse escaped when her hands scrapped across the paint chipped wood and landed on the ground with a thud. It wasn’t like the window was that far off the ground, not for a normal sized person anyway, but for Sam…well, it was quite the fall and she didn’t stick the landing. Nope, her feet barely touched the ground before she fell backwards on to the dew spritzed ground. Getting to her feet, she wiped her hands across her backside and turned her head to the left to see if anyone had seen her less than graceful exit, finding no one, she turned her head to the right and locked gazes with Rick, who was standing on his back porch. Shirtless, dark jeans unbuttoned, giving Sam an eyeful of exactly what Cassie found so attractive about him, Rick simply blinked at the sight before him, wisely not saying anything out loud.

Eyes widening, she stood and stared at him, frozen in place and unsure what to do, which only seemed to make the shock on his face at seeing her fall out of the window turn in to a smirk; knowing exactly what was going on in Daryl’s house the night before. Raising her hand, Sam’s smile was full of embarrassment bordering on a grimace as she placed the tip of her index finger over her mouth to signal for Rick to keep the incident between the two of them. If the heat on her cheeks were any indication of just how red her cheeks were at the moment, she no doubt resembled a tomato thanks to the flame of mortification.

Across the way, Rick nodded and winked in her direction before offering up a quick wave as he turned and headed back in to the house. Sam didn’t move, stayed frozen in place until the sliding glass door had long since been shut. Letting out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, Sam sighed heavily and knew there was nothing more she could do to keep what Rick had just witnessed a secret. Forcing her feet to move, she scurried around the side of the house and knocked on the carport door, as planned.

Jacey had yet to leave the two of them alone, not one moment from the time Sam stepped in to the house to when they had sat down with their plates to eat breakfast. She needed to tell Daryl that Rick knew about the two of them, or at least, that he knew they had spent the night together. However, the ever present child between them made that task difficult. Spying Rick coming through the doors with his son in tow, followed up by Cassie who was carrying Judith, Sam decided it best to cause a distraction so she could inform Daryl before he was caught unaware with his friend. Turning to Jacey, she instructed her to go grab her another piece of toast and waited until the child was out of earshot before leaning over to talk to Daryl across the table. “Rick knows...about us.” She said in a hushed tone, keeping track of the Grimes family out of the corner of her eye. “He saw me leaving out the window this morning.”

Shooting a glance at Rick, who was too busy talking over his shoulder at Cassie to notice, Daryl nodded towards them and asked, “Clearly ain’t told Cassie, otherwise she’d be over here by now. You don’t gotta worry about Rick, he’s not gonna say nothing.” Lowering his gaze back to the plate of food in front of him, Daryl tried to push aside the hurt that bubbled in his heart at the worried glare in Sam’s eyes at the thought of their secret being made public. He understood her reasoning behind it, but that didn’t make the fact that she wanted to keep their relationship in the dark hurt any less; definitely hurt more than it did last time.

Sam watched Daryl stab a piece of meat with his fork, saw the tension in his posture and didn’t miss that he was avoiding looking at her. Realizing what had caused his sudden change in behavior, she kept her voice low and apologized. “I’m sorry. I know it’s got to hurt that I want to keep things secret…again. I don’t mean to hurt you, I just want…” Sam’s words drifted away, cut off by the presence of Jacey rounding a nearby table with a handful of toast wrapped in a napkin. Accepting the item she used as a mere distraction for a moment of alone time with Daryl, Sam passed out a piece to each of them. “Thanks sweetie. I’m seriously hungry this morning.”

And she was, famished, that is. Her stomach had rumbled from the moment she’d stepped foot in Daryl’s house that morning all the way to the food line. Not that her hunger was much of a surprise. Sam had always had a big appetite, before the heartbreak that is, and now that happiness had filled her life once more it seemed to have returned.

Of course, the hours of sex the night before might be playing a role in the hunger, too…as well as the glow and beaming smile on her face.


	95. Chapter 95

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos and reviews! I posted chapter 1 of my new story, Running Wild, this morning. I'd love to hear some thoughts from my wonderful readers on it in hopes that it will spark my muse into writing again. It's almost completed, actually the ending is written, I just need to fill in a few chapters to finish it up. It's alot different from my other TWD fanfics, but I still hope some of my dear fans will check it out. Thanks again!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

__  
**The present: Friday, April 20th, 2012**  


 

Sam wanted to believe Daryl when he said that she could trust Rick to keep their secret, but she needed confirmation from Rick himself in a form other than a wink and a nod. After breakfast, once Daryl had disappeared in to the woods and Jacey was on her way to school with a group of other children and chaperons, Sam darted out the backdoor in time to catch Rick as he made his way towards the fields to start his long workday. She knew he had been offered the chance to join the security team, head up the group with Bo due to his previous law enforcement experience, and had turned it down in favor of working in the fields with the crops, but couldn’t quite figure out why anyone would choose the hard labor over what amounted to an office job for the most part.

“Rick! Hold up a second.” Sam called out as she jogged down the stairs and headed in his direction. The grassy field at the rear of the municipal building was empty, saving Sam from having to keep her voice too low to ward off prying ears, thankfully. “Hey, sorry, I know you need to get to the fields, but I wanted to talk to you real quick…about this morning.”

“Nothing to talk about, my lips are sealed.” Rick shielded his eyes from the shining sun using the gloves that were clasped in his hand. Looking down at Sam with a knowing smile on his face, he didn’t miss the blush that crept on to her cheeks as she nervously avoided his gaze. “I’m happy you and Daryl are together again, he deserves it….something good, after everything he’s been through.”

“We’re not together again, officially.” Sam shrugged and forced herself to meet Rick’s questioning gaze. Shoving her hands in her back pockets to keep from fidgeting with them nervously, she swallowed the lump in her throat and explained, “We don’t….I don’t want everyone knowing that we’re…you know…not until I know where it’s going, if it’s going to work out this time. I don’t want to risk Jacey getting hurt in the process. Don’t want her getting her hopes up just to have them broken if it ends badly.”

“I understand privacy, it’s no one else’s business what you and Daryl do.” Rick paused, taking a minute to consider the next words out of his mouth very carefully. “Seems to me though, if you don’t mind me saying, that if you prepare for something to go badly….it will, eventually.”

“I know, you’re right, but….” Sam paused, sighing as she looked up at Rick with a saddened look on her face. “It’s just weird. I’ve spent all this time, years and years, trying to hate him…trying to move past what happened, and now I’m with him again and it’s like nothing changed and yet, at the same time, everything has changed. He’s even quieter than he used to be, which I didn’t even think was possible, and he won’t talk to me about what he was doing…where he was…who he was with after he left me. Anytime I bring it up, he just avoids my questions. How can we move past everything if he won’t talk to me about what he’s been through?” Removing her hands from her pockets, Sam covered her face with them in embarrassment. “I’m sorry, you don’t want to hear about all that.”

“It’s fine.” Rick reassured her as the blush on her skin brightened to a furious red. All Sam wanted were answers and yet, Rick understood why Daryl didn’t want to share the answers she desired with her…because he was ashamed of the man he was before the outbreak. Heck, even after the outbreak…it had taken losing his brother for Daryl to have a chance to become the man he was today. Deciding that by giving Sam a glimpse in to the past, he might be able to give Daryl a future with the woman he clearly loved, Rick tried to shed some light on the situation. “The Daryl I know now is a lot different than the Daryl I met after the outbreak. Back then, he was a mouthy, angry, son of a bitch. Surly as all Hell. To be honest, he was basically a replica of his brother, acted just as mean as Merle and was ready to fight any time someone opened their mouth. Came close to sticking his knife in me first day we met, would’ve succeeded, too, had the others not stepped in.”

When Rick paused, glancing off in to the tree line as though Daryl might overhear what he was saying about him, Sam piped up and asked, “What changed? Because the man that’s here now, he’s nothing like Merle…thank goodness. I hated Merle something awful, I know that’s bad to say…don’t need to speak ill of the dead, but he was just horrible. Merle on the inside was uglier than his outside and the way he treated Daryl, the way he talked down to him infuriated me. I hate to think of Daryl being anything like Merle, he’s so much better than his brother.”

“You’re right, he is.” Rick agreed, turning his attention back to Sam. “There was an incident, Merle got separated from the group. Daryl stayed with the rest of us, traveled with us as we tried to find a place to live. Being away from Merle helped a lot, but I think the biggest change in him was when Carol’s daughter went missing. Daryl spent every day roaming the woods over by Maggie’s family’s farm trying to find Sophia, damn near got himself killed out there alone. When we found Sophia, she’d been attacked and had turned. He didn’t say anything, but you could see the pain on his face. He distanced himself from the rest of us for a long time after that. I know why now, Sophia was around the age y'alls daughter would've been, Sam. Losing her, not being able to save her ate him up inside. Eventually though, he came back around, tried harder to be part of the group instead of on the edges, simply surviving. He’s a big part of the reason why our group is still together, how we’ve managed to keep our numbers up, how we have stayed alive. Without him, I doubt I’d have been able to keep us strong, keep us as safe as we’ve managed to be.”

“He’s always been good at taking care of people.” Sam’s voice was barely audible as she processed what Rick had just told her. Curious, her brow was furrowed when she glanced up at Rick. “Why are you telling me all this? Doesn’t it break some sort of bro-code? Spilling each other’s secrets?”

“Because he won’t ever tell you. Pride won’t let him tell you what kind of man he became when he left you, but I care enough about him to tell you about the man he’s become. He’s one of the most loyal men I’ve ever met. Honest to a fault. Hardworking, does his best to provide for the people he cares about. Daryl’s my best friend, no…he’s my brother and I want him to be happy. If being with you is what does that for him, then I guess I have to spill some of his secrets.” Rick smiled and gestured over his shoulder towards the fields where people were already getting to work. “I need to get on to work, but think about what I said, okay?”

“I will.” Sam promised as Rick turned his back to her and headed towards the fields. Calling out to him, she waited for him to glance back at her before saying, “I don’t really know what’s going on between you and Cassie. Heck, she doesn’t even know…I just want you to know that she’s a pretty great lady. Don’t break her heart too much, okay?”

Rick didn’t miss the way Sam glanced down at his hand, to the shinning gold band that lived on his left ring finger despite the fact that his wife had died about a year ago and that his marriage had been over long before that fateful day. Nodding, he offered a soft smile to Sam, hoping it was as reassuring as he meant for it to be. “I don’t plan on it.”

Sam stood there and watched as Rick turned his back to her once more and headed off to work. When he was out of earshot, she murmured to herself, “No one ever plans on it…don’t mean it doesn’t happen anyway.” Shaking herself out of the trance that she’d been in while trying to process the conversation with Rick, Sam headed towards the school, to where she was already supposed to be teaching music to a group of seven year old's who’s energy was likely doubled by now as they waited for her to arrive.

Later that afternoon, Sam sat on the ground with her back propped up against a massive oak tree while Jacey and her friend, Molly, ran around at full speed on the playground. Shoes off, she scrunched her toes in the warm grass and scanned the area for any threats, before turning her attention back to the notebook perched on her lap. Her guitar lay on the ground beside her, not forgotten, just unable to play at the moment thanks to the pain in her wrist; a lingering side effect from the wreck so many years ago that flared up whenever the air was moist with approaching rain. On her lunch break, she had snuck away to the apartment to grab the wrist brace that took up the majority of her arm and was uncomfortable, but helped alleviate the pain that didn’t warrant a trip to the infirmary for medication.

A gentle breeze trickled through the trees, spring in full bloom on their limbs, as she softly sang the lyrics of the song she had been working on for the past couple of weeks from the start, hoping that by doing so she could find the ending she had been searching for. Tapping the pencil on the edge of the notebook, she tried to find the appropriate beat to match the feeling in her heart. _“I catch myself wishing…Every star, every scar…Every mark upon my heart…Up and fades away.”_

 _“I feel myself missing…Everything I threw away…Every dream, every scene…Every song we’d ever sing…Got lost in yesterday,”_ Glancing up, she scanned the area once more while keeping up the beat of the song with the tapping pencil. _“I’ve been trying to do without you, but I can’t give up this fight…Everything will be alright…If I can kiss you tonight. We can make it to tomorrow, if we can find the morning light…Everything will be alright, if I can kiss you tonight.”_

Dipping her head back down to the notebook, lost in concentration as she scribbled notes in the margins, Sam missed the shadow that fell to the ground a few steps away. Humming along with the music in her head, she tapped out the beat on her book and started softly singing again. _“Do you find yourself wondering…If I still think about you…Every thought, every step…every tear and every breath…I swear I do…Yeah, that’s all I ever do.”_ The words to the next verse were on the tip of her tongue, caressing her lips, when the shadow to her left moved to fall across her lap. Startled, Sam gasped and dropped the pencil in her hand as she glanced up at the figure looming over her. “Ryan, you scared me.”

“You’re back with Dixon, aren’t you?” Ryan brushed aside Sam’s fright and stared down at her with a stony look on his face that was difficult to maintain when his heart was breaking in half on the inside.

“What? I…no…I mean,” Sam stuttered, trying to find a way to a way to get out of the conversation that she didn’t want to be in, but when she saw the pain in Ryan’s eyes, changed her mind. Patting the ground beside her, she waited for him to sit down, took notice of the way he still grimaced with pain from the injury on his stomach even though it had been over a month since it happened. “Is it not getting any better?” She indicated towards his side when he was finally seated on the ground.

“Stitches are out, still hurts to move around some though.” Ryan explained as he released the breath he’d been holding while trying to sit down. His heart thundered in his chest, functioning despite the pain that seared through it, as he glanced down at the notebook in her lap and saw the hearts doodled along the edges with Daryl’s initials scribbled inside of them. “How long you two been back together?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t want you to know…or anyone, actually. Not yet.” Sam shut the notebook, cramming the pencil between the pages and laid it on the ground next to the guitar before turning back to Daryl. Lowering her voice just in case Jacey happened by, she looked up in to his sorrow filled eyes and blinked away the tears that burned in her own. “Daryl and I, we’ve been seeing each other for a couple of weeks. I didn’t want to say anything, make it official, until I felt more comfortable. Didn’t figure there was any sense getting Jacey’s hopes up, or hurting you, unless it was going to work out this time. I really am sorry, Ryan…I never meant to hurt you, not ever. I do love you, I hope you know that.”

“Just not the way you love him.” He replied grimly, tearing his eyes away from Sam to stare out across the playground. His heart clenched at the sight of Jacey’s smile as she climbed to the top of the slide and flew down it to land in the sand below. Not only did he love Sam with all of his heart, but he loved that little girl, too. He had hoped to one day marry Sam and make Jacey his own daughter, before having a couple of his own with Sam. Dropping his gaze, he knew that his hopes of having a family with Sam were never going to happen, even if Daryl hadn’t wandered back in to town. “He doesn’t deserve you, Sam. I just hope he doesn’t break your heart again.”

“I did my fair share of breaking his heart, too.” Sam admitted as she stared at Ryan’s profile, his head dipped down to avoid looking at her. “Took me a while to admit that to myself, but it wasn’t all his fault.” Dragging her hand through the grass, she plucked a blade and twirled it around her finger. “How’d you know?”

“About you and Dixon?” Ryan cocked his head to look at her, waited for Sam to nod before continuing. “It’s written all over your face. I’ve tried to ignore it for a couple of days now, but I saw you out here…saw the smile on your face that was never there when you were with me, it was never that bright. Then I heard what you were singing; felt the emotion in the words. Everything anyone wants to know about you is always right there in your music, Sam. Anyone who knows you will see that you’re happy now, that you’re in love.”

*Song: David Nail-Kiss You Tonight*


	96. Chapter 96

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_The Present: Friday, April 20th, 2012_

“You’re screwing things up, you know.” Cassie hissed as she slid in to line behind Daryl, who was bringing up the rear of the dinner buffet. When he glanced over at her, his dark hair hanging down across his cheek to partially obscure his face, Cassie pinned him with a serious look when met with Daryl’s silence. “With Sam, you’re going to mess things up if you don’t swoop in and do something. I saw her and Ryan earlier today over at the park with Jacey, they looked entirely too cozy.” Not that she honestly thought that the recently broken up couple would get back together, far from it actually since she knew Sam’s feelings in regards to the notion, but it didn’t hurt to use the sighting as a reason to goad Daryl in to finally making a move.

“So what? They can’t talk?” Daryl mumbled as he turned back to the plates of food on the table and stabbed a hunk of meat, origin unknown and not needed, and tossed it on his plate. “Sam can talk to who she wants.”

“Who she wants is you, dummy.” Cassie poked Daryl in the arm, sticking him in the bicep with her long graceful finger, all the while rolling her chocolate eyes at him with an annoyed sigh included. While she thought the two of them were making progress, actually eating meals together and speaking in civilized tones, it seemed to Cassie that whatever headway Daryl had been making was cooling off and she didn’t want that to happen. “How long are you going to mope around and make googly eyes at her? Do something!”

“I don’t make googly eyes at her.” Shooting daggers at Cassie over the absurdity of the notion, Daryl grabbed a roll and plunked it down on top of the mountain of meat on his plate; bypassing the vegetables and sticking to protein and carbs for the evening. He tried to avoid looking Cassie directly in the eye for fear that she would realize what was going on between him and Sam, not that he would mind exactly, but he didn’t want to break his promise to Sam. Of course, he felt like an utter shit for keeping it a secret from Cassie to begin with, especially after all she had done for them back in the early days of their first go-round at being involved. “Look, you want me and Sam together so bad, go hound her.”

“Like I haven’t been? She’s more hardheaded than you.” Stalking after Daryl, Cassie tugged on his sleeve until he stopped and glared at her. Her line of sight went over his shoulder when he finally turned to her and caught Sam staring at them curiously. “Just stop waiting around. Don’t wait around for Sam, she’ll just make you wait forever.”

“Sam and I? We’re fine, okay? Just need time to figure things out.” Daryl told the truth as best as he could and started to walk away, but stopped when he saw Tyler walk into the room from the back hallway. Smirking, realizing he’d just found the diversion he needed to distract Cassie for at least a little while, he nodded towards the youngest Collins brother, who was staring straight at the two of them with a frown on his face, and said, “Seems to me you got some things to figure out for yourself. Maybe lay off me and Sam for a bit and deal with your own relationships?” The suggestion came out a smidgen harsher than he had intended and he tried to smooth it over before Cassie left. “Rick’s a good friend of mine, he’s more of a brother than my own was to me. I don’t want to see him hurt when you run back to that asshole brother of Sam’s. And, Cassie, you deserve better than Tyler Collins anyhow.”

“I don’t want to hurt Rick, Daryl. I like him…a lot more than I thought I would.” Cassie admitted, her features softening as she smiled towards the table where Rick was feeding Judith a spoonful of something green and mushy. “I’m just not sure he feels the same way.”

“He’d be stupid not to.” Daryl turned and left after that, leaving Cassie staring after him with a smile on her face that bordered lovesick. Sliding in to the chair across from Sam and Jacey, he threw a look over his shoulder just in time to see that smile slip from her lovely face as Tyler approached her and hoped that the disappearance of the happiness that was on her face meant that she was truly done with Sam’s brother once and for all, because he had meant it when he said Cassie could do better than Tyler.

“Outside.” Cassie put a hand on Tyler’s bicep and pushed him towards the back door he had just entered through. She could handle the rejection from him in the past, the scowls that he threw her way these days, and the hurtful comments under his breath when she walked by with Rick, but the puppy dog eyes and the passive aggressiveness that had plagued his normal standoffish behavior lately was getting on her last nerve. Once they were outside, far enough away from the people eating dinner to hopefully have a private conversation, Cassie crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. “I need you to stop it. All the prissiness and the tear filled eyes, it needs to stop, Ty. I don’t know why you’re acting like this anyway. It’s not like we were a couple, or anything serious. It was just sex, right? That’s what you always made sure to remind me.”

“I miss you.” Tyler finally admitted after a handful of moments of silence. He regretted that it had taken seeing Cassie with someone else for him to realize how he felt about her, but there wasn’t anything he could do about that now. For the past couple of weeks, he had been walking around in a funk with a dark cloud of misery hanging over his head that intensified every time he saw Cassie with Rick. “I was an ass, I admit it. I’m sorry, Cass. I shouldn’t have kept you, kept us secret, it was wrong of me to treat you like that.”

“Yes it was.” Cassie felt as though she had been punched in the chest, a deep pain shot through her heart at Tyler’s words. She had waited nearly a decade for him to admit that keeping their relationship hidden, shaming her into booty call status, and now that he was finally admitting his wrong doing, she thought maybe it was too late. She didn’t know what she had with Rick, but at least he was giving her a chance, he was willing to be seen with her in public and have her associate with his family. None of which Tyler had ever done, not once. Sighing, she turned her head and looked off in to the distance, the growing darkness as nightfall approached. “It’s too late, Tyler.”

“But it’s not! That’s what you told Sam, right? It’s never too late when you’re in love.” Tyler heard the pleading tone in his voice and cringed, hating how needy he sounded, but knew that it’s what Cassie needed. “Just give me a chance, please? That’s all I am asking for.”

“It’s never too late for love, Tyler. I did tell that to Sam, but the difference is that Daryl and Sam are in love, they’ve always been in love…they’re miserable without one another.” Cassie turned back to Tyler, shocked to find emotion sparkling in his eyes. “But, you don’t love me. You never have….and I don’t love you, not like that…not anymore.”

“But, I do love you. I just didn’t know it, Cass.” Tyler reached out for her, tried to wrap his arms around her stiffened body and pull her close. A curse slipped past his lips when she yanked her arms away from him and took a step backwards. “Just come back to me, baby. I need you.”

“You only want me because you realized you couldn’t have me anymore, because you saw me with someone else and it ate you up with jealousy.” Cassie held up a hand, stopping Tyler in his tracks when he tried to step towards her once more. “”You can argue with me all you want, but if you loved me at all, you wouldn’t have been ashamed to be with me in public. You’d have told your family that we’ve been seeing each other for nearly ten damn years, but you didn’t. I’m sorry, Tyler, but I’m tired of being treated like I’m nobody, an embarrassment.”

Standing just inside the doorway was Daryl, he had seen the look of determination on Cassie’s face when she had forced Tyler outside and, being that he knew how tenuous Sam’s brothers temper was, had decided to follow behind at a safe distance just to make sure she was alright. Unfortunately, his instincts were spot on because a half of a second after Cassie had informed Tyler that she was tired being his late night mistress, he had heard her yelp in surprise and found her struggling against Tyler’s meaty paws when he turned the corner.

“Last time I checked when a woman said no, it wasn’t because she wanted you to keep harassing her.” Daryl’s voice was low, trembling with barely contained rage, as he crossed the concrete patio towards where Tyler had his hands wrapped around Cassie’s arms, tugging her towards him despite her struggles.

“Go the fuck away, Dixon,” Tyler snarled in Daryl’s direction, his cheeks flushed with anger at the sight of him. “This doesn’t concern you.” Lowering his eyes back to Cassie, Tyler softened slightly when he saw the flicker of fear in her eyes and realized what he was doing. Dropping his hands from her arms, he tried once more. “I’m sorry, baby. I…I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“Yeah, well you did.” Cassie snapped, stepping away from Tyler while rubbing her hands gently over the red marks left behind from his strong hands. “Just leave me alone, Ty. We’re done…not that we were really anything at all in the first place, nothing real anyway.”

“But we were, I fucked up.” Tyler shot Daryl an annoyed glance as he started towards Cassie, following in her footsteps as she headed back towards the building. “Don’t go back in there. Stay out here with me. Talk to me.” Pushing past Daryl, who refused to step aside to allow better access to Cassie, he rushed ahead and blocked her path. “You’ve got to give me a second chance.”

“She’s already made up her mind, looks like to me.” Daryl pointed out, stepping up behind Cassie and butting in before she could once again tell Tyler to back off. “Think it’s time you leave her alone.”

“And I think this is none of your damned business, Dixon.” Tyler growled, his eyes flashing with the hatred he felt for Daryl. Pointing a finger at Daryl, spittle flew from Tyler’s mouth as he growled out an order to the smaller man. “This is between me and Cassie, it’s got not a damn thing to do with you, so fuck off.” Taking a step forward, Tyler reached out for Cassie once more, trying to coax her with a gentler voice to forgive him while grabbing hold of her shoulder to steer her away from Daryl.

Cassie caught a glimpse of Daryl out of the corner of her eye, saw the fury that simmered just below the surface, the rage that flared in his eyes for Tyler and felt a chill of awareness of just how dangerous he really could be…just like Maggie and Tara had mentioned weeks ago. Shaking her head, seeing the tension about to uncoil and leash out on Tyler, Cassie was barely able to voice her objections before Daryl pushed her aside and launched himself towards the man who had been his enemy for years.

“No!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the reviews, votes and messages this week. Loved each and every one of them. Absolutely love hearing from my readers, because without you guys I'd just be writing these stories for myself. :) Hope everyone has a great week. Sam, Daryl and I will be back on Sunday night!


	97. Chapter 97

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much on the reviews/kudos on the last chapter!!!! I appreciate every single comment so much and love to hear from you guys.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Previously:**  
_ Cassie and Tyler had a heated discussion about their lack of relationship that led Daryl to step in and try to control the situation.

 

_**Friday, April 20th, 2012** _

 

At the sound of Cassie’s scream, a shrill cry that echoed down the hallway and filled the auditorium, Sam and Rick jumped from their seats and ran towards her cries, both pointing at their children beforehand to tell them to stay put. Running down the hallway, they burst outside in time to see Daryl and Tyler tumble off the patio to land on the grass below, landing with a loud thud that barely slowed them down. Fists flying, the sound of skin connecting powerfully with skin had Sam barreling down the steps towards Daryl and Tyler, fully intending to break up the fight before anyone got seriously injured.

Preoccupied with Cassie, having stopped to check on her to make sure that she wasn’t hurt, Rick was too late to reach out and grab hold of Sam before she ran headfirst into the fight. Knowing how unpredictable Daryl’s rage could be, or rather, how predictable he actually was in a fight, Rick yelled for Sam to stop. “Sam! Don’t! I’ll deal with them!”

“It’s not the first time she’s had to break them up.” Cassie replied in lieu of Sam’s silence. Rick’s hand was on her arm, her bare skin sizzled beneath the gentle touch as he made sure she wasn’t hurt. Nodding towards the brawl not ten feet away from them, Cassie reassured him that she was fine. “Go on. Help Sam.”

Trying to break apart two rage filled men probably wasn’t the best idea she had ever had, but the love she held for each of them had her reaching between them and yanking Tyler’s arm as hard as she could. Completely unprepared for his reaction, one that hadn’t happened the last time she’d had to disentangle them, she did not have time to duck when Tyler came around with his other fist and lashed out. His fist connected with her face, hitting her cheekbone with such intensity that her skin ripped beneath his knuckle and sent a trail of hot blood trickling down her face. Screaming, her hold on his arm broke and Sam stumbled backwards with her hand against her cheek.

Staggering back, the haze of rage cleared in Daryl’s eyes long enough to see what had caused Tyler to suddenly stop fighting. Seeing Sam holding a hand to her face, eyes wide with shock and blood seeping through her fingers from the cut on her cheekbone, Daryl realized what had happened and felt his body begin to shake with anger as Tyler reached out to comfort his sister. Growling low in his throat, Daryl’s body was tightly coiled with fury as he started towards Tyler once more. “You don’t fucking touch her!”

“Daryl! No!” Sam screamed, her voice shaking with fear as Daryl tackled Tyler. Both men tumbled to the ground, fists flying and blood dripping from both of them as they tore at one another fiercely. Tears rolled down her cheeks, mixing with the blood from the gash Tyler had inflicted to send watery rivulets dripping down her face to land in splotches onto her white shirt. Screaming at them to stop, relief washed over her when she caught sight of Rick running towards them with Tyrese and Abe in tow.

“Mind the knife!” Rick yelled out in warning, shocking Sam because she hadn’t seen Daryl pull the weapon from the holster on his belt. Risking his own life, Rick reached out and grabbed hold of Daryl’s shirt and tugged him backwards as Abe and Tyrese did the same to Tyler. Sliding his arms up, he wrapped them under Daryl’s arms and restrained him as best as he could, his hold tenuous as his friend bucked against him and snarled angrily. “Calm the fuck down, Daryl!”

Rick’s hold was slipping, the crazed beast of rage in his arms demanding to be cut loose to exact revenge on Tyler for hurting Sam. Stumbling backwards, his foot catching a root at quite possibly the most inconvenient time, he fell and felt his grasp on Daryl slip as he landed flat on his back; knocking the breath out of him. Gasping for air, cursing in between each wheeze, Rick scrambled to his feet and tried to grab hold of Daryl once more, but his fingers failed to snatch the frayed hemline of Daryl’s shirt. Darting forward, he had barely gotten hold of Daryl’s arm before he had to duck to avoid the knife that came whirling around towards him, narrowly missing his cheek. The upside to Daryl is that you didn’t want anyone else in the fight with you, but the downside was you didn’t want to be on the receiving end of his anger. Still ducked down, Rick rammed his shoulder into Daryl’s chest, tackling his friend with enough force to send both of them falling back on to the ground.

“He fucking hurt Sam.” Daryl ground out between his teeth, his jaw firm and tense. Fury flashed in his eyes, radiating blue fire, as he struggled beneath Rick’s weight. “Let me up!”

“Not ‘til you calm the Hell down.” Sprawled across his friend, Rick forced the hand that held the knife to the ground; his hand clenched tightly around Daryl’s wrist as he struggled beneath him. “It was an accident. I saw what happened, Daryl. Tyler didn’t mean to hit Sam.” Catching Daryl’s eye, Rick repeated himself until the fury that blue gaze eased a bit. “It was an accident.”

“What in the Hell is going on out here?” Bo Collins demanded, his deep voice booming from behind Cassie. Pushing past the crowd that had gathered just outside the doorway, Bo stomped over to the pile of men laying on the grass and cussed at the sight before him. Disgusted, he started towards Tyler, but stopped short when he realized that Sam was injured. Rushing to his sister’s side, he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and pressed it to her cheek after she moved her hand away so he could see the injury. “Who hit you? Was it Dixon?”

“No, of course not.” Sam cringed at the sting of pain caused from Bo pressing down on the gash with the handkerchief as he tried to staunch the flow of blood. She heard Daryl curse behind her and growl at the accusation, furious that anyone would think he would ever hit her. “Tyler and Daryl were fighting, I tried to break it up and Ty hit me. It was an accident, I promise.” She explained, more so for Daryl’s benefit than her brother’s, in hopes that he would finally realize that the incident was really just an accident, a misunderstanding.

“You need to go get that looked at, you’re gonna need stitches.” Bo winced as he pulled away the once white scrap of material that was now liberally soaked a deep red with Sam’s blood. Glancing over at Cassie, he waved her over to them and started barking out orders. “Take Sam, go find Krista and have her clean this up.”

She started to object, not wanting to leave Daryl, but one glance towards him had Sam changing her mind. Pacing back and forth with an angry scowl marring his beautiful face, danger gleamed in his eyes, Daryl reminded her of a caged animal; wild and fierce and looking for something to unleash its fury upon. Her gaze swept past him, flicking down to the ground to where his knife lay forgotten for the moment and a wave of nausea washed over her when she realized just what he had meant to do with that weapon, who he had planned to bury the blade in to. Turning away from Daryl, her stomach twisting at the realization of what nearly happened to her brother, Sam let Cassie lead her back in to the building to find her sister in law for medical attention.

Behind a thick swath of dark bangs, Daryl watched Sam turn away from him and disappear inside the building; leaning against Cassie while pressing the bloodstained handkerchief to her face. He had only wanted to protect Cassie from Tyler and somehow, everything had gotten completely out of control. Leaning down to pick up his discarded hunting knife, the one he had cherished since the day Sam had given it to him years ago, he cursed when Rick’s boot covered the handle and prevented him from wrapping his hand around it. Glancing up at his friend, his brother, he saw the flicker of distrust in Rick’s eyes at the thought of letting him have the weapon back. Straightening, he shook his head and mumbled, “I ain’t gonna do nothing with it. Just want it back.” That knife had been by his side every day since he’d received it and not having its weight in the sheath on his belt felt strange.

“I think its best I keep up with it right now.” Rick’s voice was even, steady and supposed to be reassuring, but only succeeded in pissing Daryl off further judging by the flare of anger in his eyes. Leaning over to pick up the knife, Rick stuck the blade between his belt and waistband of his pants. “What happened out here, Daryl?”

“I’ll tell you what happened! Dixon went crazy and attacked me.” Tyler spouted off from where he stood with his brother. Tyrese and Abe stood in the middle of the group, acting as barriers in case things between Daryl and Tyler got heated once more. “I was talking to Cassie and he flipped out.”

“The Hell I did!” Daryl snapped, taking a step towards Tyler with his lips curled in a snarl of disgust at the man’s blatant lie. Raising a hand, he jabbed a finger in Tyler’s direction. “You need to learn to keep your goddamned hands off women who don’t want ‘em there. She told you to leave her the fuck alone and you manhandled her.”

“What does Cassie have to do with this, Ty? If what Dixon’s saying is true, why were you allegedly manhandling her?” Bo asked, confusion marring his face at Daryl’s explanation of what had happened. While he normally didn’t second guess his brothers, he knew Daryl well enough to know that the man didn’t unintentionally provoke people. Of course, just because he rarely started the fight, didn’t mean Daryl wasn’t a willing participant.

“Because he’s been fucking her for years.” Daryl chimed in when Tyler remained silent and smirked at the look on Bo’s face. “Yeah, your fucking yellow bellied brother’s been diddling Sam’s best friend and was too damn ashamed about it to say anything. Like he’s even good enough for Cassie Delaney. Shit, he ain’t good enough to lick her damned shoes, much less be involved with her.”

“You shut the fuck up, Dixon! Don’t know shit about what was going on between me and Cass!” Tyler yelled, earning himself a glare of annoyance from his brother. “We were fine ‘til you showed back up. This guy started sniffing around and got Cassie all confused and she called things off with me.” Tyler snarled in Rick’s direction, a look of disgust on his normally handsome features that were now marred with deep red marks that would undoubtedly turn in to dark purple bruises by morning. Blood trickled down the side of his face from a cut above his eyebrow and was already starting to crust around the inside of his nose where it had been busted by the powerful blow from Daryl’s knuckles.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Bo demanded when Daryl stalked past them, heading in the direction Sam had just left. “We aren’t done here.”

The look on Daryl’s face when he glanced over his shoulder at Bo clearly stated just how done with the conversation he truly was. Turning back towards the building, he bypassed the back door in favor of darting around the side to head towards the infirmary since Krista would take Sam there to treat her injury. He rounded the corner as the trio of women exited out the front door and Daryl hurriedly crossed the patch of grass that separated them, concern etched across his face.

Seeing Daryl, Sam told Cassie and Krista to go on to the infirmary and said she wouldn’t be too far behind them. Their worried glances towards the ball of tension that was Daryl Dixon didn’t escape his notice and further darkened his mood. Lowering the scrap of material from her cheek, Sam wadded it up in her hand and crossed her arms over her chest. Glaring at Daryl, her own anger bubbled up and spilled over. Her voice was lowered when she spoke, but was heavy with the swirling emotions that raged inside. “What? Were you gonna kill Tyler if they hadn’t stopped you? He’s an asshole, but he’s still my brother, Daryl. What were you thinking?” Shaking her head at his silence, pissed that he couldn’t even come up with an excuse for his behavior, Sam simply turned her back on Daryl and left him standing alone in the street.


	98. Chapter 98

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the reviews and kudos on the last chapter!!! Loved them.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_**Saturday, April 21st, 2012** _

 

Sam’s heart raced, her breathing seemed to be resonating in the loft as it came out in sharp pants as she sat up and looked around, confused as to what had woken her up. Her eyes grew wide and her heart beat an erratic pattern against her breastbone when she heard the sudden sound of something bumping into a piece of furniture down below. Reaching out in the darkness, her fingers curled around the handle of the pistol that was tucked beneath the pillow and she raised it with a shaking hand; pointing it at the closed curtain just as something reached out and moved it aside.

She should have known he would come to her eventually.

“You gonna shoot me or not?” Daryl’s voice was harsh in the semi-darkness, the pale light from a full moon just outside the open windows shining in to offer enough brightness that his eyes that were already adjusted to the darkness was able to see what Sam was doing.

“No, of course not…you just startled me.” She laid the gun down, shoving it beneath the end table instead of returning it to the pillow it slept beneath most nights. Crawling out of bed, she felt her way over to the dresser and the lighter that she remembered laying down before bed. After lighting the candles that were scattered across the surface, she hugged her arms over her torso protectively and met Daryl’s gaze from where he looked up at her from the ladder. “You can come up, if you want.”

Crawling the rest of the way up in to the loft, he straightened and simply stared at Sam. Dressed in a worn, faded gray t-shirt that had seen its better days, the material soft and clinging to her gentle curves, one shoulder bare from where the stretched collar fell too far to the side. Honey colored locks cascaded around her, tangled and disheveled from a fitful sleep. Her thighs were bare, the shirt only falling to mid-thigh, but pale, rose colored thick sweater like socks covered the rest of her legs from the knee down. A memory of how cold her feet used to get at night floated through his mind, followed by how much she hated sleeping in pants. 

She was beautiful without even trying.

He took a few steps towards Sam and was grateful that she neither lashed out at him in anger nor shied away from his approach. His heart lurched and guilt flooded his system at the sight of the injury on her face. Even in the flickering golden glow of the candles, he could see the plum colored bruise that had already started laying claim to the majority of the side of her face, a stark contrast to the bright white of the butterfly bandages across the gash. Reaching out, Daryl tenderly caressed the tips of his fingers along the edge of the injury. “I’m so sorry, baby.” His apology was spoken softly, a whisper of his guilt at the sight of the pain he had a hand in even if he hadn’t physically caused it.

“You didn’t do it.” Sam closed her eyes and leaned in to his touch, the feel of his fingertips ghosting over her cheek sent tingles down her spine. Her cheek throbbed, pain seared at the torn skin, but Daryl’s tender touch somehow soothed her pain enough that she was able to shove it aside momentarily. “Krista didn’t think it needed stitches, said it wasn’t as deep as she originally thought….just a lot of blood.”

“Head wounds bleed like a stuck pig.” His comment was from experience, plenty of cuts and tears to his head over the years offering up plenty of familiarity at just how much a head wound liked to bleed. Dipping his head, Daryl replaced his fingertips with a gentle press of his lips, placing feather light kisses across the bandages and across her skin until his lips covered Sam’s. His heart rejoiced when she didn’t pull away.

His lips were warm on hers, soft and oh so gentle against hers. Raising up on her toes, she pressed her body against his and slipped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. Sometime during the night, her anger towards him had been replaced with the loneliness she felt anytime he wasn’t with her. Rick’s words from earlier in the day had seeped in to her mind, reminding her that the Daryl she knew so long ago wasn’t the same one that lived here with her now. This Daryl was even darker than the one she had first fallen in love with; years of rejection and abuse turning his broken soul to the safety of darkness to protect the gentle heart that Sam knew and loved. With that knowledge, she told herself that his experiences, from childhood and the time when she wasn’t with him, was the reason he had pulled that knife on Tyler, that it was for protection and not anything more…sinister.

The sickly sweet taste of marijuana clung to Sam’s lips, a taste that he doubted he would ever grow accustomed to when it came to her. Breaking the kiss, Daryl pressed his forehead against hers, but kept his grasp on her tiny waist; bunching the soft material of her shirt in his hands at the base of her spine. “You taste like pot. Don’t guess I’ll ever get used to that.”

“Cassie gave me some. Helped with the pain…didn’t see any sense in using the medication since we don’t have a lot of it. Not for a little headache.” The pain in her head had been far from insignificant. It had raged inside, tore through her brain and throbbed for hours until she had given in and partook in Cassie’s offering, only then had the searing pain subsided. Licking her lips, she realized what the coppery taste lingering on them was…blood. Pulling her head away from Daryl’s forehead enough so that she could inspect his face in the light, she noticed the split in his lower lip that had busted back open when he had kissed her. Worriedly, she tenderly placed the tip of her finger on the cut and whispered, “You’re bleeding.”

“Shit, I’m sorry.” Releasing his hold on Sam, Daryl stepped back and lifted the hem of his shirt to the cut on his lip, the only obvious injury that Tyler had inflicted. Underneath his shirt was a different story, he could feel the bruises along his torso, the throbbing pain around his rib cage, but could tell from the way it felt when he moved that it was just bruising and nothing worse, nothing was broken. “I didn’t mean to, thought it had closed up already.”

“It’s okay.” Sam turned to the dresser and reached over the candles to grab a tissue from the decorative holder. Stepping closer to Daryl, she folded an edge of the tissue over the tip of her index finger and tenderly blotted it over the cut on his lip. “Thank you for sticking up for Cassie.” She murmured, one hand clasped at his waist while she lovingly wiped away the blood on his lip. Cassie had filled her in on exactly what had transpired between Daryl and Tyler while she had been under Krista’s care in the infirmary. “But please don’t try to knife my brother again, even if he is the world’s biggest jerk…he’s still my brother.” 

Tears stung in her eyes at just how close she’d come to losing her brother, and at the hands of the man she loved more than life itself…with the knife she’d given to him so many years ago. Despite the pain radiating across her cheekbone, as the blood seeped through her fingers and dripped onto her clothes, Sam had noticed the weapon that Daryl had pulled and a knot of dread had formed in the pit of her stomach, along with a wave of nostalgia as she recalled the night she’d given it to him. How horrible would it have been if the gift she had lovingly picked out for her husband had been what ended the life of her brother? She could barely stomach the thought and pushed the thoughts aside when Daryl finally spoke in response to her comment.

“I didn’t mean it…don’t even remember pulling out my knife.” Daryl admitted, his words difficult to get out with Sam pressing her finger along his lip. When she removed the tissue, he licked the gash and tasted the coppery blood that lingered there. With Tyler, before Sam had gotten hurt, he had simply been upset with the way Cassie was being treated, but after seeing Sam bleeding and knowing that Tyler was the cause of it…a potent rage had filled his heart and took over his control. “I saw what he did to you and…it just happened. I don’t remember.” His last words broke Sam’s heart a little bit, the admission barely audible as he lowered his voice in shame, regret flashed across his face as he pulled her into his arms again.

Sam pressed her lips against his neck, nuzzling him and breathing in the intoxicating smell of Daryl that had her heart fluttering in anticipation. Lifting her head, she looked up in to his eyes and saw the sorrow, the regret and the weariness that filled them. He was just as exhausted as she was, likely more since he had spent the day hunting instead of playing instruments with children, and it seemed like more time had passed since they had made love in the early morning light. Taking his hand in hers, Sam tugged him towards the bed. “Come to bed. You’re exhausted…we both are.”

“What about Jacey? Sun’s up soon.” Daryl asked, not that he cared about his sister finding out he had spent the night with Sam, but knew that she did.

“Krista took her home with them, figured I might want some alone time with the head injury and all.” Sam informed him, feeling a wave of guilt for yet again sending her daughter off to stay with a family member because of an injury or stressful situation, not that Jacey was likely offended at being carted off to spend the weekend with her cousins, but the guilt was there just the same.

Leaning over to blow out the candles she’d only just lit, Sam pulled Daryl to the bed and scooted across to the other side of the mattress; trapping herself between the wall and Daryl, the safest place in the world. She felt the dip bed dip, his weight sinking in to the old mattress, and waited for him to lay down. The thud of his boots being kicked off on to the floor was followed by the feel of his body next to hers, the annoying feel of clothes between their bodies had her scowling in the darkness. “No need to sleep fully clothed, you know? No young eyes around tonight.”

“I take off my clothes and we ain’t just sleeping.” Daryl replied gruffly, the roughness in his voice sent chills over her skin and Sam rolled over to face him. Slipping a hand beneath his shirt, running the tips of her fingers across the coarse hair sprinkled around his bellybutton, she replied, “And that would be a problem, why?”

He hardened at her words, his shaft thickening with desire and pressing painfully against the zipper of his pants. Showing restraint that most men wouldn’t have, Daryl wrapped a hand around her dainty wrist and stopped her from slipping below the waistband of his pants. “Because you’re hurt.”

“Maybe you can make me feel better?” Her words were spoken softly, the suggestion offered up as a way to justify having sex when they were both battered and bruised, exhausted beyond reason. For a moment, Sam thought she had won when Daryl released the hold on her wrist, but he only did so to roll over and face her. Silently, he wrapped his arm across her and pulled her against him. Giving up, no…giving in for the time being, Sam rolled on to her side and let him curl against her protectively; lifting his arm only long enough to pull the blankets up over both them.

Laying in the dark, enveloped in his hold, Sam whispered a question she had asked before, but had never received an answer. Something she needed to know, despite Rick’s explanation earlier, no matter what the answer was…no matter how painful the truth was. “Daryl? Why didn’t you try to see me before that night in Atlanta? I mean, if it was so important to see me that night…why didn’t you try before then?” She waited for his answer, silence surrounding them both as she held her breath for his response.

“Because I wasn’t good enough for you.” Was the only answer he offered her, his reply whispered against her neck, his breath hot against her skin. Tightening her hold on his hand, the one flung over her protectively, Sam lifted his hand to her lips and pressed a soft kiss to the knuckles that held far too many scars for her liking, many more than had been there before he left her. Threading her fingers with his, Sam held his hand tightly and said, “You’ve always been good enough for me, Daryl. Always. Don’t ever think otherwise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And you guys thought I was going to use that as a way to keep them apart! :)


	99. Chapter 99

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the reviews on the last few chapters and a huge thank you to everyone who sent well wishes last week after my accident. The car was deemed totaled and I have gotten a new car (totally irresponsible, mid life crisis car! A mustang!) and am back at work. So, barring any more accidents (crosses fingers that doesn't happen!) I should be back to a regular posting schedule. 
> 
> Thanks again!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The Present: Saturday, April 21st, 2012**  
_

Breakfast was nearly over and Sam had yet to make an appearance, which wasn't completely surprising, but Cassie was still worried. When she had left Sam's apartment last night, her best friend had been in pain, both physical and emotional, after the ordeal between Tyler and Daryl; for which Cassie felt a tremendous amount of guilt over. Scanning the room once more, hoping to see Sam slipping in at the last minute, her distress must have been more obvious than she had hoped to express to the rest of the world.

"She's fine. Probably catching up on sleep, Sam hasn't looked like she's been sleeping too much lately." Rick pointed out, his voice whispering across the curve of her ear as he leaned over to talk to her. "It's not your fault, you know?"

"Not exactly not my fault either, now is it?" Cassie replied without turning to meet the gaze she felt boring a whole through her. Looking back down at the plate of eggs, she poked at the pile of pale yellow food and continued to not eat. "Her face is going to look horrible, I just know it. Sam bruises like a peach and the whole side of her face was already swelling up and turning red."

"And I bet she doesn't blame you at all, so stop blaming yourself." Rick's voice deepened, a growl of anger tinged it as he spotted the cause of the problem walking through the back door. He was a little bit more than pleased to see that Tyler seemed to be suffering a great deal from his tangle yesterday with Daryl, one of the meanest sons of bitches Rick had ever met and still liked after being on the receiving end of his hair trigger temper. "Seems your ex might be regretting his actions yesterday."

"Jesus, he looks like he went a few rounds with a pissed off honey badger." Cassie muttered, trying to look at Tyler's injuries while not making direct eye contact. Black and blue bruises marred the face she had once coveted, and his right eye was swollen shut with a series of sutures snaked their way over the arch of his dark blonde eyebrow. She didn't fail to notice the wince of pain when he sat down at the table with his family, or the way his bruised hand hovered over the bottom of his rib cage as he tried to lean back in the chair.

As if he sensed her studying him, Tyler looked up so suddenly that Cassie did not have time to avert her glare. Sorrow washed over his face that was so intense, that Cassie actually had a feeling it might just be a genuine emotion. When he moved, sliding carefully to the edge of his chair to stand up, Cassie caught his eye and shook her head side to side; adamant in her need to not have any contact with him. Grabbing the edges of her plate, Cassie abruptly stood up, forgetting to scoot her chair out beforehand which caused the sudden movement to knock it over with a loud clang as the metal landed on the wooden floor.

Rick put down his fork and looked up to see that Cassie's whole face was flushed a bright red, her embarrassment had her so flustered that she was frozen in place. Scooting his chair back, he leaned over and righted the chair before standing up to join her. Taking the plate from her hands, he returned it to the table and motioned for her to sit back down. "Don't let him ruin your breakfast."

"I think I need to go find Sam." Cassie replied, distractedly looking around the room while making sure not to make eye contact with Tyler, who was still looking at her. "Maybe take her something to eat? Make sure she's okay?"

"I'm sure Sam is fine. Probably just getting some much needed rest, like I said." While he wasn't one hundred percent sure of what the nature of Sam's absence from breakfast was, he was fairly certain that she was being cared for judging by the fact that Daryl had also skipped the meal. "Let her sleep. Go by and check on her later if you're still worried."

Cassie nodded and sat back down next to Rick, fully aware that Tyler's eyes weren't the only ones staring at her. Thanks to the sudden commotion, several curious stares were directed towards her and Rick. She wondered just how many people had heard what happened the day before and how many of them blamed her for the altercation. It wasn't the first time that men had fought over her, but it was the first time that the incident was because someone was trying to protect her and Cassie didn't know how to feel about that. Tearing the piece of bread on her plate in half, she took a small bite and chewed it without tasting it. "I'll go over after breakfast, just to make sure she doesn't need anything."

"How about you tag along with me and Judith today? We can take her over to the park, let her play in the sand box." Rick offered up the suggestion in hopes that Cassie would lose herself to the distraction of his daughter and give Sam and Daryl a little bit more time together. "I'll make sure you're at Sam's before lunch. Give her plenty of time to rest."

Pleased that the situation was momentarily handled, so long as the nod Cassie offered him in regards to his suggestion of going to the park meant she would join them, Rick returned his attention to the remainder of food on his plate. Shoveling in a heaping serving of now cold eggs, he swallowed and was reaching for the glass of water to take a sip to ease the congealed yellow mush down his throat easier, when Carol sat down next to him; her duties in the kitchen now officially over until lunch.

"Have you seen Daryl this morning?" She asked curiously, worry etched on her face as she toyed with the string on the threadbare apron she wore for work. "I don't think he came home last night, after the...incident with Tyler." Or, if he had, it was long after she had given up watching out the window for his return and before dawn when she went over to check on him before coming in to town.

"I haven't, but where ever Daryl is I am sure he is just fine. It is Daryl, after all." Rick pointed out, knowing full well that Carol was perfectly aware of Daryl's capabilities in the woods and surviving on his own. "He'll show up when he's ready."

"It's just...I heard the fight was pretty bad." Carol's eyes flashed towards Tyler, took note once again at just how large and well-built the man was and felt her worry mount to a higher level. "What if he was hurt? You know he wouldn't let on to you, or anyone, if he was injured."

"Daryl's fine." Rick dropped the subject and returned his attention to the remainder of food on his plate, hopping that Carol would do the same since he didn't want Cassie to start piecing together the clues that both Sam and Daryl were conveniently missing from breakfast.

"You should know, some of the group is worried about what happened." Carol pointedly looked at Cassie, letting the raven haired beauty that had been the cause of the incident from what she had overheard in the kitchen. "They're worried we're going to be kicked out. Tyler has pull here...I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't push for Daryl to be forced out of town after yesterday."

"They won't do that." Cassie's response was firm, confident in her belief that there would be no fallout from the town council. "That's not how things work around here. They're not just going to kick your group to the curb just because Tyler's temper got out of control."

"You don't know that for sure." Carol's voice was cold, the look in her eyes showed the worry that lived there. She did not want to return to the life they'd had before stumbling in to the town, none of the group did. She was tired of fighting for her life, tired of eating scraps of whatever meat Daryl killed, tired of sleeping with one eye open. She turned back to Rick. "You need to talk to them, to the council. Make sure nothing is going to happen to us. We need to know...so we can prepare."

Rick heard the threat in Carol's voice, knew that it was credible...knew that she would do whatever it took to keep the group safe. Even if her actions weren't logical, Rick understood the drive, the will to live that she possessed. Nodding his head once, he agreed. "I'll talk to them." Thinking about what Carol had said about some of the group being worried, he added, "Maybe we should get together tonight. Our group? We haven't spent much time together as a whole in a while. My house? After dinner?"

"I'll spread the word." Carol pushed back from the table and left without another word, there wasn't much time to get things arranged for that evening with lunch prep starting soon, so she needed to get on it if she wanted to have everyone contacted.

"I'm sure your friends will enjoy that." Cassie smiled softly at Rick, a little saddened that she wouldn't be spending time with him that evening since she had spent time with Sam the evening before instead of Rick. Despite the fact that their relationship, or whatever it was, had come to a standstill...neither growing stronger nor growing stale, she woke up each day ready to spend time with him and hoped that he felt the same way in regards to her. She was in uncharted territory with how to approach the subject of progressing their relationship with Rick, in the past she'd had a string of lovers, but no one that had actually wanted to spend time with her without it involving getting naked.

"Maybe you'll have a good time, too?" Rick wondered if his voice reflected the nervousness that was flooding his system at the moment. "I'd like for you to be there, with me...if you'd like that? You could see if Sam would like to tag along? I know Maggie and Tara would enjoy having her there." And, Daryl, but he didn't say that out loud.

"I'd love to...it's a date." Cassie blushed, not meaning to make things sound so official. Looking away from him quickly, hoping he didn't see how flustered she had just made herself over such a simple word...date. Motioning towards Judith, who had long since finished her breakfast and was starting to squirm in her high chair, she suggested, "Maybe we should get out of here? This little lady looks ready to play in the sand."

Agreeing, Rick stood up and gathered their plates, making sure to collect the one Carl had left behind when he had eagerly accepted the invitation from a group of kids his age to go down to the lake. When he was finished dropping off the plates at the window, he returned to the table to where Cassie was using a napkin to wipe egg of Judith's face. He smiled to himself, enjoying the sight of a woman caring for his daughter, and hoped that the bond Judith formed with Cassie was as strong as the one she'd had for Beth, whom he knew she must miss.

"Ready?" He asked, placing his hand on the small of Cassie's back to lead her away from the table. As they exited the room, he was aware of the stares that their closeness generated, although he didn't really care about it. He liked Cassie Delaney, no matter what her standing was in the community. He didn't care about her past, so long as his didn't bother her.


	100. Chapter 100

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I missed out on posting an extra chapter last week due to my wreck, I have decided to bestow my faithful readers with a few extra chapters this week...it is a holiday week after all! I did post chapter 99 last night, so make sure you read it first if you're just now catching up. :)
> 
> Also, who doesn't like to start the work week off with a good dose of smutty goodness?

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The Present: Saturday, April 21st, 2012**  
_

Sam slowly woke to the feeling of pure bliss. Lost somewhere between her dreams and the harsh reality of daylight, her mind was having a difficult time waking up as quickly as her body was. Thrusting her hips forward, seeking out more of the delicious sensations that were close to sending her body over the edge, a moan of pleasure slipped past her lips as Daryl's fingers caressed the swatch of silken underwear that covered her aching center. Desire pooled between her legs as he traced the pad of his fingertip along the lacy edge delicately before pushing the scrap of material that was now damp with her arousal away to slide his finger along her silken folds.

When he covered her with his mouth, probing at her center with the tip of his tongue, Sam was grateful that they were alone in the apartment because the sound that escaped her mouth was anything but controlled and quiet. Fisting her hands in his long hair, she squirmed beneath him as the slow burn that had been ignited by his hands came alive with a delicious fury as Daryl licked and suckled at the sensitive nub that ached for release. Daryl filled her, pushed two fingers inside her aching center and had her moaning with passion, his name filled the room as she climaxed against his mouth; shuddering in his arms and arching against him.

The pain in her head, that dull throb that threatened to peak into a scorching sizzle, was momentarily forgotten.

"Well, good morning to you, too." Sam muttered when she was able to speak, a smile of utter satisfaction was plastered across her face as she stared down at Daryl. She felt him chuckle against her stomach where he was pressing soft kisses against her skin, his body settled between her shaking thighs.

The light was beaming into the living room with a potent force, letting her know instantly that dawn had long since passed. She wondered what time it was and, judging by the growl of hunger in her belly that had Daryl chuckling once more, how far off the next meal of the day was. "How long have you been up?" While she hadn't intended the pun, Sam found it fitting due to the way she had been pulled from her slumber.

"Somewhere around sunrise." It had been just before sunrise actually, but he didn't want to make Sam feel bad for sleeping when he had been unable to do the same. For the past few hours, Daryl had laid awake and watched the sun slowly creep from one side of the room to the other, while holding Sam in his arms. It had only been in the past hour or so that his mood that had been content to simply hold her while she slept had given away to boredom which had led to other ideas to form in his head. Hence, Sam coming awake while pressed against his lips.

"Come here." Her demand was spoken softly, but the words were husky and demanding. Sam bit her lip and watched as Daryl crawled the rest of the way up her body, the hungry look of desire evident in his eyes. Settling between her thighs, a moan escaped from her throat when his thick, hardened shaft pressed against her center, still sensitive from the way he had devoured her with his mouth. As his lips descended on hers, Sam opened to him eagerly and caressed his tongue with hers, while sliding her hands between them to undo his pants. Tugging on the button fly, she pushed the zipper down and eagerly took his shaft in her hand; hard, velvety soft and hot to the touch. She thought his fire might burn her alive.

Her underwear was still pushed aside, partially revealing her sex to the feel of his shaft sliding against it. Sam shivered at the sensation, stroking Daryl with her hand while he pressed his hardened length against her silken folds. The tip of his cock slid across her heat, dipped inside ever so gently, but enough to tear a throaty moan of passion from Sam's lips. She so desperately wanted Daryl buried inside her, just the feel of him without anything between them. Just as the head of his throbbing shaft slipped past her entrance, her thighs clenching against his waist, the sound of the back door shutting caught their attention. Frozen, a good inch or more of Daryl pushed inside her body, their eyes connected and their breaths hitched in their chests.

His heart thudded in his chest. His body was a coil of tension as he fought against the overwhelming desire to thrust deep inside of Sam, fully aware of the lack of protection, but not caring in the slightest. Her heat called to him, he ached to bury himself deep inside of her and let her sear him with her arousal. At the sound of Cassie's voice down below them, a curse was on the tip of his lips as he slid from her sex and fell to the side of Sam; his hardened shaft jutting out, thick and proud, begging to be returned to the only woman it had ever craved.

"Sam? Sweetie? Are you awake?" Cassie's voice called out from the living room and at that moment, Sam regretted ever giving her best friend a key to her apartment. Flashing Daryl a look of apology, Sam reached between her legs and shoved the scrap of her moist underwear back in place and crawled to the end of the mattress. Lifting the curtain, knowing that from Cassie's vantage point she wouldn't be able to tell that Daryl was up there with her, she made her presence known before her friend decided to crawl up the ladder and check on her. "Hey, I'm here. I'm up."

"It's almost lunch. I was worried about you." Cassie explained, closing the gap between the back door and the ladder. Looking up at Sam, she had a hand on one of the ladder rungs, preparing to climb upstairs, when Sam shooed her away.

"I'll come down. Let me just get dressed." Sam called out, settling the curtain back in place before Cassie could object. Backing up, she bit back a yelp of surprise when Daryl's hands closed in on her waist and he pressed the length of his shaft against her rear end. Although she shouldn't have given in, Sam found herself pressing back against him, grinding the swell of her ass against his arousal and aching to have him pick up where they had been interrupted. And, would have, had Cassie's voice not called out to her again.

"How are you feeling? Did the ache ever go away?" Cassie asked curiously, the guilt that had loomed inside since the incident prayed that Sam wasn't still in pain. Idly, she walked around the living room while waiting for an answer, nervously picking up the place even though it was nearly spotless.

"I'm okay. Uh, that stuff you gave me helped some, I at least got some sleep." Sam bit back a moan of desire, wanting to curse her best friend for letting herself inside the apartment without waiting for Sam to open the door, because the ache in her head was still present, but there was now a burning ache of desire between her thighs that demanded to be quelled. 

She felt Daryl's hands move down her waist, over the curve of her hips and his fingers hook around the edges of her underwear, which he promptly pulled down her thighs and yanked off of one foot so he could spread her legs open and settle between them once more. His weight shifted behind her, the material of his shirt brushed against her bare ass as he leaned forward.

"Stay with me." His whispered command was hot against the curve of her neck and Sam nearly came again from the sensation alone. She whimpered at the feel of his fingers sliding between her legs, slipping along her moistened folds and pushing inside her body. He demanded her to stay, his voice rough and low against her skin before the edge of his teeth bit down tenderly on her neck. "Stay."

"Um, Cass? You can go on to lunch if you want? I need to clean up some anyway, I can meet you there?" She gave in to his demands, let her need take control of the situation and just knew the tremors in her voice were a dead giveaway as to what was really going on in the loft. She trembled when Daryl eased his fingers out of her body and thrust them back in instantly, biting down harder on her neck with each movement.

"No, I’ll wait, it’s fine. Krista is on her way over anyway. She wants to check out your bandages." Cassie folded a blanket and tossed it over the back of the couch before flopping down onto a cushion. Thanks to Sam's obsessive compulsive need to have everything in its place, there wasn't much for Cassie's nervous behavior to do around the apartment. 

Sam's reply was cut short when Daryl thrust inside her, replacing his finger with his dick and clamping his hands down around her waist. Somewhere in Sam's brain there was the faint voice of reasoning reminding her that he didn't have a condom on, but she stupidly let her desire push away that nagging thought and let passion control her. An involuntary gasp slid past her lips when he thrust inside her, rough and hard, his fingertips bruising her skin above her hipbones.

"Sam? Are you sure you're okay?" Cassie's brow furrowed at the gasp from upstairs and she glanced towards the sleep loft, wondering what Sam was doing behind that gauzy white curtain. Maybe she was injured worse than she had let on, maybe she needed help getting dressed? "Do you need me to help you or something?"

"N-no! I...I'm just moving a little s-slow today. Give, um...give me a few minutes." Her words were spoken between pants, her teeth ground together to keep from screaming out Daryl's name as he buried himself inside her body, pulling out slowly to thrust back in to her with enough force to have her legs shaking, before picking up the pace.

Daryl felt himself tighten, knew his release was approaching rapidly. Sliding a hand around Sam, he found her sensitive center and pressed his fingers on to it, felt her shudder in his arms and as he circled the nub with the pads of his fingers until he brought forth her climax. Squeezing him with her walls, he watched her hands clench the bed covers as she trembled around him and fought to contain the scream he knew was on the tip of her tongue; because he knew that his Sam wasn't a quiet lover.

Shoving up the hem of her shirt, Daryl pulled out of her moist heat moments before his release shattered through his body. Grunting, he closed his eyes and tried to suppress the moan that wanted to escape his mouth as he came against her back. It was a messy situation, but he didn't want to see the fear and worry in Sam's eyes had he come inside her without protection. Regaining his composure somewhat, Daryl grabbed a fistful of white bedsheet and pulled it up to wipe off Sam's back and felt a little twinge of guilt at the mess he had made.

Rolling over on to her back, Sam stared up at Daryl and panted, her chest heaving from desire and willed her thighs to stop shaking so she could get up and get dressed. There was no way she could shower, not with Cassie waiting for her downstairs and Krista on the way. Nope, she was going to have to go down to lunch with Daryl smeared across her back. The notion was both disgusting and arousing at the same time. Finding her control, Sam rolled off the bed and started dressing; hurriedly pulling on clean underwear before sliding in to a pair of form fitting jeans, stripping off her sleep shirt and replacing it with a bra and bright blue t-shirt that fit like a second skin. Tugging on socks and her brown cowboy boots that had seen their better days, Sam leaned over the bed and kissed Daryl hungrily, thrusting her tongue in to his mouth to taste him once more before she had to leave.

She mouthed her goodbye to him as she turned to go down the ladder. The sight of him lying there on her bed, sheets rumpled from their lovemaking made her want to never leave her loft again so long as he was up there with her.


	101. Chapter 101

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the reviews and kudos on yesterday's chapters!!!!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

__  
**The Present: Saturday, April 21st, 2012**  


 

Sam’s boots had barely touched the floor when the sharp crack of knuckles against the thick metal door echoed through the room. One look at the bruising on Sam’s face had Cassie wincing and off the couch in a flash to answer the door. Motioning for Sam to sit down, she hurried across the room and opened the door, revealing Krista and her medical bag, along with an absurdly bright stream of sunlight.

“Hey, sorry it took longer than expected. Got caught up checking out yet another of Mrs. Wyatt’s phantom illnesses.” Krista apologized, slipping past Cassie and heading straight towards Sam. Sitting on the couch beside Sam, she grimaced at the maroon and violet hues splattered across the side of her face. “That is one impressive bruise. How’s it feel today?”

“Like I got punched with a brick.” Sam winced in pain despite the gentleness Krista took care in doling out while poking around the injury. Sucking in a quick breath, she held it in until the examination was complete, then let it out slowly in relief. “Could be worse though.”

“Given how easily you bruise, I’m not surprised at how bad it looks, but overall I think the cut will heal with minimal scarring. Should be back to new in a week or so.” Krista removed the butterfly bandages that were crusted with blood that had continued to seep out sometime during the night, swiped an alcohol prep pad across the gash before applying another set of bandages. “I’ll check it in a day or two just to see how it’s healing though.”

“Thanks, Krista. I’m just glad it wasn’t worse. My brother packs a heck of a punch.” Sam’s fingers ghosted over the bruised cheekbone as she watched Krista put items back in to the bag. “How’s Jacey? Does she know what happened? I don’t want her upset with her uncle.”

“She’s just fine. We told her there was an issue and you ended up getting hurt a little bit.” Krista assured her while sitting her bag on the coffee table next to Cassie. Using the back of her hand, she brushed aside her bangs, the thick swatch of red hair that was in dire need of a trim. “After we assured her that you were fine, just needed some rest, she was off with Katherine and Kline tearing through the house without a care in the world.”

“Okay, good. Thank you for letting her stay, I know she loves spending time with the kids, but I’m sure you’re ready to have her out of your hair. I know those three are a little wild when they’re together.” Sam leaned back against the back of the couch and prayed that the dull throb in the back of her head would go away soon.

“Nonsense! I’m not going to break her little heart by telling her she has to come home when I already promised her the whole weekend.” Krista swatted at Sam’s leg playfully and shook her head. “And yes, they’re wild, but I like it. I love having Jacey over, you know that. Let her stay the night, get some more rest. Don’t think I can’t tell you’re hurting right now either.”

“Plus, Rick and his group’s having a get together tonight and he told me to bring you.” Cassie pointed out with a hopeful smile on her face. She hated seeing Sam in pain and hoped that a night out with friends, after getting some food in her stomach and maybe a nap, could ease some of the discomfort she had to be in. Of course, it didn’t hurt that Daryl would be there and she needed to get him around Sam more if they were ever going to get back together.

“Think I’m going to have to pass on that, Cass. If I’m not well enough to spend the evening with my daughter, I highly doubt my doctor is going to give me the go-ahead to party.” Sam replied, quickly declining the invitation since she would rather spend the evening alone with Daryl if Jacey wasn’t going to be home. “But, you go…have fun with Rick.”

Scowling, Cassie looked to Krista for assistance and was pleased when Sam’s sister in law picked up the hint. “I don’t see how a little time out tonight would be a bad thing. I heard they were doing a bonfire, right? Nothing big. Could be fun, relaxing even…definitely lower key than you’d have around here with Jacey bouncing off the walls. Just don’t stay out all night, you still need to rest or that headache will get worse.”

“I…fine, we’ll see? But, I’m not making any promises, so it’s a maybe.” Sam wanted to check with Daryl and see what he was planning on doing before committing to anything with Cassie. She doubted being at the same house, being that close and not being able to touch one another was even possible. Lost in her thoughts about Daryl, Sam missed what Cassie was saying, but managed to get her attention focused back on her best friend in time to catch the majority of what she was saying.

“He’s a good guy, you know? Didn’t mean for any of this to happen, for you to get hurt.” Cassie’s expression was dark, filled with worry as she perched on the edge of the coffee table and stared at Sam’s injury. Her wavy dark chocolate hair tumbled over her shoulders, shadowing her face, but not enough to mask the concern etched on to her lovely features.

“I know, Cass. Ty just gets a little too intense sometimes, I know he didn’t mean to hurt me though.” Sam shook her head at Cassie’s comments, knowing perfectly well that her brother had possessed absolutely no malicious intent towards her.

“Not Tyler. He’s an ass. I mean, I know he didn’t mean to hit you, but yesterday…the way he was acting with me. I’ve never seen him like that, not towards me anyway.” Cassie fidgeted with the hemline of her tank top while she talked about Tyler. She still felt horrible for what had transpired between them yesterday, the guilt at the hurt that was inflicted on Sam still gnawed at her. “I meant Daryl. He stepped in with Tyler to protect me, Sam. I’ve…I’ve never had someone do that. He didn’t have to and yet, he stepped in and took care of me, like I mattered to him. He’s…Daryl, he’s a good guy.”

“Yeah, I know he is, Cassie.” Sam reached out and took hold of one of her friend’s hands, suppressing her nervous fidgeting for the moment, and held on to it tightly while forcing her eyes from glancing upwards to where Daryl was patiently waiting for them to leave so he could sneak out. She was glad he was hearing Cassie’s kind words, he needed to hear her compliments. “And, Daryl cares about you. Don’t think otherwise, because he’s always thought the world of you.”

“Which is shocking, because you’d think he was so busy thinking about you he wouldn’t have time to think about anything else.” Cassie’s eyes twinkled mischievously as she once again pointed out how much Daryl still cared for Sam. The amount of time the two of them were spending together lately hadn’t been missed by Cassie, granted it was all in the company of Jacey, but she still thought it was a step in the right direction. “You two are supposed to be together, you know? He wouldn’t have ended up back in Collins otherwise.”

“Hey, don’t look at me for help.” Krista laughed and shook her head when Sam turned to her for help, begging her with wide green eyes to deflect Cassie’s match making attempts. “You know I’ve always thought Daryl was sexy as hell, but don’t tell your brother that. He’d flip if he found out.”

Sam about choked on the laughter that threatened to bubble up and spill over. She could only imagine how Krista would react if she found out that Daryl was only a few feet away listening to every word that was said about him. Sobering, realizing that Daryl was also waiting for her response to Cassie’s declaration of their fated romance, Sam said, “I swear, sometimes I forget what a hopeless romantic you are sometimes. I’m not sure I believe in fate, or kismet, or what have you, Cass. I just take it day by day and see what happens. I’m not saying I’d be against me and Daryl being together though.”

“I knew it!” Cassie shouted triumphantly, pumping her fist in the air with a grin plastered on her face. “You want Daryl! You want to get back together with him, don’t you? I knew you still loved him, but I wasn’t sure if you’d finally come to your senses about getting involved with him again. Go tell him, Sam. Stop wasting time.”

Sam opened her mouth to argue with Cassie, but closed it immediately. Trying to dispute her feelings towards being involved with Daryl seemed a little pointless when she could still feel him inside her; the pleasant ache of their coupling evident between her legs. Avoiding the conversation altogether, it was what she did best after all, Sam stood up and brushed past Cassie’s legs. “I’m hungry.”

With her back turned towards Cassie and Krista, Sam missed the flicker of annoyance that passed between them because of her avoidance. Disappearing in to the bathroom, she gingerly rubbed a wet washcloth over her face, making sure to remove the crusty flecks in the corner of her eyes, and brushed her teeth. By the time she exited the bathroom, Cassie and Krista were waiting by the back door. Exiting the apartment behind Krista, Sam was a little surprised when her sister in law, the less intrusive of the two she still had, put an arm on her shoulder and said, “I know you’re scared, that the thought of giving your heart to Daryl again terrifies you after everything you went through to heal it last time. But, maybe we have to get hurt, to have those scars and heartbreak, to remind us why it’s important to live and be happy when we can? And, Sam, sweetie…these days, we need every reminder about why it’s important to keep living. Don’t waste your chance at happiness by being too scared to go after it.”

Sam was relieved when Krista simply let her hand drop back to her side, offered a soft smile and headed down the stairs behind Cassie. She spared one final look back towards the loft and wished that she could crawl back up there and be with Daryl, but knew that if she didn’t continue on with Cassie and Krista there would be a barrage of questions she wasn’t quite ready to deal with just yet. Closing the door gently behind her, Sam opted to scurry down the rickety stairs and headed to lunch instead of facing her feelings.

Inside the apartment, Daryl waited a few moments after hearing the door shut before exiting the sleep loft; crawling down it with all the dignity a grown man could possess under the circumstances. While sitting on Sam’s bed, the scent of their sex permeating the air around him, he had listened in with rapt attention to the conversation below. Hearing Cassie’s declarations of how grateful she was that he had shown up and stepped in before things got too heated between her and Tyler, hearing her tell Sam how she should stop wasting what time she had with him had a smile on his face, but it was hearing Cassie spill Sam’s secret about still being in love with him that him grinning like the proverbial lovesick fool.

Now all he had to do was get Sam to admit her feelings to him.


	102. Chapter 102

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posted two chapters again, so make sure you read Chapter 101 if you haven't done so already. :)

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

__  
**Saturday, April 21st, 2012**  


 

By the time Donna Collins had learned about the altercation the night before, having been lost in the dinner rush and missed out on the flow of gossip in the dining hall, she had been worried it was too late to go check on Sam and had left her alone to get rest. Overcome with anxiousness about Sam’s injuries, she had barely slept a wink during the night. Needless to say, when she realized Sam was absent from breakfast, Donna had been on the verge of a fit from worry over her daughter, which what let her to have Krista go by and check on Sam since lunch preparations had to be overseen.

Once lunch was set out to be served and she could finally take a break, Donna rushed out of the kitchen in time to see Sam coming through the double doors of the auditorium behind Cassie and Krista. Gasping, one hand covered her mouth as she hurried over to wrap her arms comfortingly around her daughter. Donna released her hold on Sam only enough so that she could examine the bruises and bandages with her hands grasping her daughter’s narrow shoulders. “Oh, Sammie, sweetheart! Look at your face.”

“Mom, I’m fine. I promise, it looks worse than it actually is.” Sam wrangled free from her mother’s surprisingly strong hold. She could feel the eyes of the entire room staring a hole through her, knew that her mother fussing over her was only making the attention worse and wished she had thought to talk Cassie in to bringing her something to eat instead of coming inside. She should have known her mother was going to make a big deal over the bruises that covered her cheekbone and eye area.

“I have half a mind to take a switch to Tyler’s rear.” Donna shook her head and frowned at Sam, flooded with worry over the bruises marring her face even though her daughter promised they weren’t as painful as they appeared.

“Well, maybe if you’d done that when he was younger Ty would know how to act now.” Sam pointed out bitterly, cringing only slightly at the stony glare from her mother at her words. “You know I’m right, all four of them were monsters growing up…you and Dad have both said so a million times. If you’d whooped their butts back then, maybe I wouldn’t look like I crawled in the ring with Mike Tyson last night.”

“Have you considered that you wouldn’t have that bruise if you hadn’t marched in to a fight you had no business being a part of, young lady?” Crossing her arms over her chest, Donna stared at her daughter and expected Sam to do exactly what she’d always done when confronted by her parents…relent and apologize.

“Not at all, actually. I stepped in to keep my husband from killing my brother after seeing him manhandling my best friend.” Sam snapped, surprising both herself and her mother with the ferocity in the tone of her voice, and the fact that for the first time she hadn’t referred to Daryl as her ex-husband. Closing her eyes, she took a slow, calming breath, and added, “So yeah, it was my business, Mom.”

Momentarily shocked by her daughter’s reaction, Donna blinked at Sam and opened her mouth and closed it a handful of times without responding. Averting her eyes from the intensity in her daughter’s green eyes, Donna’s hand fluttered nervously over her heart while she tried to regain her composure. “I hate you felt you needed to do that then. You could have been hurt so much worse, Samantha.”

“I know, Mom.” Closing the gap between them, Sam pulled her mother in for a hug; offering an apology for making her worry and snapping when she showed her concern, as well as seeking comfort in her mother’s arms. “Hopefully I won’t have to break up any more fights from here on out.”

“You’d better well not. Go get one of your brothers next time.” Donna pushed back a lock of Sam’s hair to get a better look at the bruise that was nearly touching her ear. Clucking her tongue, she shook her head and sighed before motioning towards the table where the rest of the family was seated and one particular brother was shooting anxious glances towards them. “Tyler wants to talk to you, too. He wants to apologize.”

When her mother turned and headed back towards the kitchen, where she would be until lunch was officially over and she could eat her own meal, Sam followed in her wake to meet up with Cassie. While picking through the offerings on the long table and adding them to the plate in her hand, she filled Cassie in on what all her mother had said. “And, she wants me to stop and talk to Tyler. So, I’m gonna put my food down with you and go see him for a second. I didn’t think you’d want to go over there.”

“Not even if he could offer me a glass of ice.” Cassie sarcastically replied with a roll of her eyes. Although, Sam was fairly certain that her friend would cave if there was actually a chance that Tyler did have ice cubes, because Cassie complained about having to drink tepid water at least three times a week. “Here, give me your plate. I’ll take it to the table for you.” After taking Sam’s plate, barely filled with child sized portions of meat and vegetables, Cassie made her way over to where Rick was sitting with his family; pointedly avoiding Tyler’s stare the entire time.

Seeing Sam heading towards him, Tyler pushed aside his plate and stood up. They stood in front of one another awkwardly for a brief moment, before he shoved away his pride and enveloped his sister in a bear hug, all the while blubbering away at how much he regretted what happened. “I am so sorry, Sam! I didn’t mean for any of that to happen last night, especially you getting hurt. I just felt a hand on my arm, tugging at me and…I dunno, I guess I assumed it was one of Dixon’s friends or something. Please forgive me.”

“Tyler, you’re squishing me.” Sam muttered, her voice muffled since the tight hold he had on her had her face pressed against the material of his shirt. Patting his side, tapping out so to speak, she stumbled a bit when he suddenly released her. The throbbing in her cheek definitely hadn’t been lessened by the bear hug, not in the slightest. Pointing to the bruise, she glared at her brother and said, “I forgive you for this. I know it was an accident. What I don’t forgive you for is how you treated Cassie yesterday. What in the world were you thinking, Tyler? I thought you said you loved her?”

“I do love her! She just kept telling me we were over and that she was moving on with someone else, someone who actually wanted to be with her and I just got so damned upset.” Tyler’s gaze flickered to the right, landing on the table where Cassie was eating lunch with Rick. “I do love her.”

“I thought maybe for a second that you did, but you know what I think now?” Sam paused long enough for her brother’s eyes to move away from Cassie and back to her face, but not long enough for him to answer the clearly rhetorical question she was posing to him. “You only want her because you suddenly can’t have her and you’ve convinced yourself that’s love. Well, hate to break it to you, Ty, but that’s not love. If you truly loved her then you wouldn’t have treated her like some booty call for what…ten years? If you loved her you wouldn’t have wanted to spend a second without her. That’s what love is, Ty, and I hope you find that one day, but it’s not with Cassie. If you care about her at all you’ve got to let her move on, let her be happy for once.”

Tyler didn’t bother to reply because his sister’s gaze slipped past him and a soft smile lit up her face. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw exactly what had diverted Sam’s attention. Turning back to Sam, he asked, “Mom told me what Dad did, about the divorce…all the stuff with Dixon. What’s going on with that situation? You still love him?”

“You know how I know you aren’t in love with Cassie? Because if you were, the last ten years without having her in your life every single second would have been the worst pain you’d ever been in. That’s how I feel about Daryl, not being with him hurts me more than any of the heartache we went through.” Sam ducked her head, suddenly embarrassed that she’d spilled her feelings towards Daryl to one of the people who had played a key role in trying to keep them apart so many years ago, to someone who’d been adamant in his dislike for the man she’d loved so much she had agreed to marry him. Shrugging her shoulders, she added, “What Dad did? I don’t know if I can forgive him for that. I want to, but he’s why I hurt for so long, you know? How do you get past that? But, I’m trying, I guess…and, with Daryl…I’m just taking it one day at a time. Who knows what will happen?”

“You still deserve better than him, Sam. He’s not right, I tell you. The way he came after me yesterday? It was like he was crazed or something.” Tyler glanced back towards Daryl, found him returning the stare with a vicious glare in his eyes and turned back around quickly. “He’s not the same man that left you, Sam.”

“No, he’s not, but I’m not the same girl I was back then either. And, he came after you yesterday because you were hurting someone he cares about. Daryl considered Cassie to be his family once upon a time and I don’t think he ever forgot that.” She hadn’t really considered what she’d just said to Tyler about Daryl’s feelings for Cassie before, but once they were out of her mouth she knew them to be true. Daryl hadn’t grown up with a caring family, he’d been left alone more than anyone else she had ever known and the bonds he allowed himself to form once he was out on his own stayed true, strong, no matter what happened. Just because he wasn’t in Cassie’s life for years, didn’t mean he had stopped caring for her. “And I don’t deserve better than him, Ty. Daryl’s a good man, I just wish you’d realize so you two could stop butting heads all the damn time.”

“Just be careful with him, around him, okay? For me? I just worry about you.” Tyler hugged his sister again, felt her stiff figure between his arms and wondered how long it would be before she truly forgave him for his behavior the day before. He’d never known Sam to hold grudges, she’d always offered up forgiveness whenever there was a heartfelt apology to go along with it, and it felt strange to not instantly be returned to her good graces.

Across the room, as Sam hugged her brother, Cassie turned her attention to Daryl and asked, “You’re going to be at the thing tonight, right? At Rick’s?”

“First I’m hearing of it.” Daryl mumbled, his head hanging low enough so that his hair covered his eyes and therefore, obscured just where his line of sight was directed. He hadn’t seen the bruises on Sam’s face in the light and his gut churned at the sight of the deep violet and maroon hues swirled on around her eye and cheekbone, the colors intensified now that she was under the lights in the auditorium. He had overheard the mention of a bonfire or something, a get together at Rick’s house, when he’d been eavesdropping on the conversation between Sam, Cassie and Krista earlier and hadn’t given it much thought afterwards. Mostly, he wanted to see what Sam’s decision regarding the gathering was before committing to being there. Glancing up at Cassie, he asked, “Why?”

“Because Sam’s going to be there and I think you should be, too.” Cassie pointed her fork at him and missed the amused expression on Rick’s face at her obvious attempts at matchmaking that she wasn’t aware weren’t needed anymore. “I think you need to be anywhere Sam is from here on out until she pulls her head out of her butt and realizes that y’all are supposed to be together.”

While Daryl was certain that he would get more time with Sam if they didn’t go to the party, he didn’t say as much to Cassie. Instead, he shrugged one shoulder noncommittally and returned his attention to the food on his plate. “Yeah, I doubt that, but I may be there anyhow.”

Glowering at Daryl, Cassie bit back the desire to clonk him on the head with her plate and knock some sense in to him. Didn’t he understand that the way back in to Sam’s life, her heart, was by making it so that he was always around so she couldn’t stop thinking about him? “There’s no maybe to it, Dixon. You’re ass had better be there. It’s not like you’ve got anything better to do.”

So caught up in her determination at making sure that Daryl and Sam were at the same house tonight, Cassie missed the flicker of amusement in his eyes. The light that sparkled in those blue pools that offered up a suggestion as to exactly what he could be doing that night instead of going to a bonfire with his family. Thankfully, Cassie dropped the subject when Sam started to approach, but no matter how hard he tried, Daryl couldn’t keep his eyes off her as she crossed over to their table, which prompted the raven haired beauty next to him to point out his interest.

“See? You can’t keep your eyes off her, so you’ll be wherever she is tonight. Got it?” Cassie muttered, leaning closer to Daryl so as to not let Sam hear as she grew closer to the table. “After dinner, you’d better be there or I’m coming after you.”

Of course, Daryl knew he’d be wherever Sam was and knew her well enough to know that she wasn’t going to turn down Cassie and Rick’s invitation. Therefore, it looked like he was going to a party later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is anyone else feeling the total lack of Christmas spirit this year, or is it just me? Bah. Only put up my tree and left the entire Rubbermaid container of other decorations in the basement. Barely can muster up the wherewithal to bake cookies for my husband's police department. I just don't know where my normal, overly excited Christmas spirit has ran off to. Maybe it's the hot and rainy weather here in Alabama?


	103. Chapter 103

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the reviews!!! Glad to hear I am not the only one that's feeling a little Bahumbug this year. I will post another chapter in the morning before I leave for the rest of the week.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The Present: Saturday evening, April 21st, 2012**  
_

 

Standing in front of the dresser in his bedroom, Rick Grimes stared into the mirror that hung above the dark cherry wood furniture that had been present in the bedroom long before he had laid claim to it. Without looking down, he could see the tops of his hands as they fidgeted nervously in front of his stomach; the fingers of his right hand were locked in on the scratched golden band on his left hand, twisting the wedding ring that his deceased wife had chosen for him so many years ago. Grief over her death still weighed heavily on his heart, plagued his consciousness and haunted his dreams. There had yet to be a single day that passed since Lori’s death that he hadn’t hated himself for not mending their relationship before it had been too late to do so.

Now, the burden of his guilt was heavy on his soul for another reason. Because, for the first time since he had first laid eyes on Lori, another woman had captured his attention. Rick knew that he had no reason to feel guilty for moving on. Heck, Lori had moved on long before her death, long before what she believed was his death, and had only started to come back to him moments before she had been taken away from him forever. His heart ached for his wife, broke at the loss of the life and love they had once shared with one another, wept for his children that would never feel the loving touch of their mother again.

Shadows smudged the skin beneath his weary eyes, stubble darkened his jaw and his chocolate brown locks were long past needing a trim, the curls that had annoyed him as a child beyond evident now. Rick swallowed, as though that action would remove the lump of emotion caught in his throat as he worried about finally letting his heart free from the guilt and gave it permission to move on.

“Dad? You okay?” Carl asked, having caught sight of the strained look on his father’s face after exiting Judith’s bedroom, where he had been getting her ready for dinner. His baby sister cooed and swatted at his face playfully as he held on to her tightly in his arms. When Rick didn’t respond, he raised his voice an octave and tried again. “Dad? Is something wrong?”

“What? Oh, no…nothing’s wrong. Just thinking.” Rick dropped his gaze from the mirror to the band that was halfway off the ring finger on his left hand. Returning the band to the place where it had since the night Lori had slipped it back on his finger after they had been reunited, he frowned slightly before turning his attention back to his son. “Y’all ready for dinner?”

“Yeah, Judy is now dirt free and ready to go.” Carl handed over his sister to his father when she leaned for Rick, who immediately obliged his daughter and pulled her in to his arms. Carl hadn’t missed the expression on his dad’s face when he had first saw him staring in to the mirror, he had certainly registered the guilt and indecisiveness that was etched on Rick’s face while he nervously twisted his wedding band round and round.

There was once a time when Carl had been just a kid, when he wouldn’t have noticed the pain on his father’s face and definitely wouldn’t have brought it up, but things had changed since the outbreak. He’d had to grow up faster than kids used to do, had to become a man far sooner than his age would have normally determined. Clearing his throat as they walked in to the living room, Carl broached the sensitive topic. “I like Cassie, by the way. She’s nice, and Judy sure likes being around her.” Didn’t hurt that the lady who was spending a great deal of time with their family of three was one of the prettiest women he’d ever seen outside of television either, but Carl chose to keep that nugget of information to himself.

“That’s good to know.” Rick turned to his son with a look of confusion on his face. While Carl had spent plenty of time with Cassie the past month, he had never brought her up in a private conversation.

“I…I just wanted you to know that I’m good with her being around.” Carl shrugged, suddenly shy and having second thoughts about bringing up his father’s relationship…or whatever he was doing with Cassie. Carl averted his eyes from his father’s icy blue gaze, one that was too intense on most days, and seemed to be staring a hole through him at the moment.

“You, uh…so you’d be okay with Cassie being around more?” Rick felt as uncomfortable with the conversation as his son looked by having it. Rubbing a hand over his daughter’s back to soothe the fussiness that was beginning to creep up from staying in one location too long, he pushed past the awkwardness enough to finish the impromptu relationship talk that probably should be going in reverse, since he had never gotten around to having the ‘coming of age’ talk with Carl. “You would be alright with me uh…dating Cassie?” Not that there was any way to actually date someone these days. It wasn’t like you could go pick up a woman and take her out to the movies or a night on the town, but it seemed like a better option to point out than asking your son permission to start a sexual relationship with Cassie, seeing if it moved to something more permanent.

“Yeah, I would. She’s nice and you seem to really like her.” Carl shook his hair out of his eyes and poked a finger into his sister’s pudgy belly, distracting her momentarily from the fit she seemed on the verge of having. He made a silly face at Judith, poked his tongue out at her and crossed his eyes until she giggled with happiness, and then returned to the serious expression that was far too old for his young face. “I think Mom would be ok with it, too. She’d want you to move on, be happy.”

The lump of emotion returned, filled his throat and threatened to spill over, so Rick opted for nodding in agreement with his son. Clapping a hand on Carl’s shoulder, Rick steered them towards the door with a little bit of pressure relieved from the heavy weight on his heart. Before they walked out the door, Rick asked Carl to hold Judith for a moment and returned to his bedroom for one final task before dinner. Staring in to the mirror once more, his hands shook with nervousness as he slipped the wedding band from his finger and safely placed it inside decorative box that sat, unused, on top of the dresser. Dropping his gaze to the white band of skin that now rested on his finger in the absence of his wedding ring, he whispered the words he wished he could have told his wife before she died.

“I’ll always love you, Lori.”

Wiping a lone tear from the corner of his eye, Rick closed the bedroom door behind him as he made his way to the front porch where his children were waiting. Locking the dark red door behind them, Rick ushered them down the front porch stairs and headed towards town for dinner…and a certain raven haired beauty that had somehow managed to capture a part of his heart he’d thought had long since died.

 

As the Grimes family made their way towards town, Cassie was standing in the middle of Sam’s apartment prodding her best friend to hurry up before they missed dinner altogether. “I don’t get what’s taking you so long! Hurry up! I’m hungry.”

“Calm your tits, Delaney. Geez.” Sam poked her head out from behind the curtain to glare at Cassie. “I’ve spent the past twenty years waiting for you to get ready, you can give me five more minutes.” Dropping the curtain back in place, Sam smiled at the sound of Cassie’s annoyed sigh as she sat down to pull on her boots.

Sam couldn’t exactly say why she was taking so much time getting ready for a simple bonfire since she wouldn’t be spending it actually with Daryl, but that hadn’t stopped the shower, extra conditioner in her hair, shaving her legs and other bits, and strawberry scented lotion she had liberally applied to every square inch of skin. The choice in lotion flavor had nothing to do with the fact that Daryl had once said that the smell of strawberries on her skin made her smell good enough to eat. Nope, certainly had nothing to do with it.

Standing up from the mattress, Sam smoothed down the front of the red dress with tiny black polka dots, a tightly fitted top and flared skirt that was a little more revealing than the outfits she wore these days; more reminiscent of the dresses she used to wear when performing. Grabbing a black denim jacket from her closet, since the nights were still on the cooler side, Sam shimmied down the ladder to stand in front of her best friend who wasn’t fooled by the amount of work she had put in to getting ready.

“Well, no wonder it took you so long.” Cassie drawled, a knowing look on her face. Smirking at Sam, she ushered her towards the door while pointing out her thoughts on the reasons behind her friend’s delay. “Someone clearly wants to look good for Daryl. You know, most women don’t get this gussied up for their ex-husbands, unless they want to make them jealous or make the ex-factor a part of the past. Which one is it?”

“I just wanted to look nice, Cass. Make up for this shiner I’ve got going on. Nothing more, nothing less.” Sam opened the back door and stepped outside in to the April night that was far too humid already, despite spring having barely sprung. Locking the door behind Cassie, she followed her down the stairs.

When they reached the bottom, Cassie turned around and let her eyes travel over Sam and smiled with satisfaction when she pointed out the obvious. “You shaved. Clearly, there’s a reason for that since I haven’t seen your bare legs in ages.”

“Sure, there’s a reason. I wanted to wear a dress and no one wanted to see my furry legs. It was a community service thing really.” Sam slipped past her friend and headed towards the center of town for dinner. “Let’s go, Cass…we’re going to be late, remember?”

“When are you going to admit that you want to get back together with Daryl?” Cassie’s voice followed Sam as she made her way down the street. “Everyone knows. It’s so freaking obvious y’all still have feelings for each other. No one cares about the past, its ancient history…well, okay, Tyler might stroke out, but screw him. Why won’t you let yourself be happy for once? You’re always worrying about everyone else, making sure everyone else is happy and gets what they want, why can’t you do the same for yourself?”

Sam stopped in her tracks and whipped around to face Cassie. “Fine. I still love him, okay? I want to spend the rest of my life with him and be happy and scromp like bunnies, but I can’t. I just can’t run off and jump back in to the pond because it’s not just me I have to worry about ending up with a broken heart this time. I can’t let Jacey get hurt if things didn’t work out. I can’t be that selfish.” Sam sniffled and looked away from Cassie, feeling stupid for getting so worked up over the conversation they’d had more than once since Daryl had waltzed back in to her life. The only difference with this chat was that this time she had jumped back in the pond and had already scromped like bunnies. But, at least with the way things between them now, keeping their relationship or whatever it was as secret as possible, meant that when everything fell apart she would be the only one with a broken heart. She wasn’t going to let Jacey get hurt, wasn’t going to risk her daughter’s love for her brother being tainted, simply because the love Sam had for Daryl wasn’t enough to keep the inevitable darkness away.

Because, no matter how many times her brain told her heart that the only reason he had left her before was due to the deception her father had unleashed on them, her heart wouldn’t listen. Her heart was still split right down the middle, a crack shot through it from the last time her heart had been broken by his love and Sam didn’t think that pain would ever heal.

“Sam, just because it fell apart last time doesn’t mean it’s going to this time. Don’t you know that? You’ve changed, Daryl’s changed…you’ve both grown up and realized what went wrong.” Cassie wrapped her arms around her best friend, feeling as though she was hugging her younger sister instead of someone she’d happened across in junior high. “I just want you to be happy and so does Jacey.”

Sam leaned in to her best friend, her confidant and partner in crime for twenty years, and kept the words on the tip of her tongue at bay. Cassie wanted her to be happy, but what her friend didn’t understand was that Sam no longer believed in happiness. She didn’t think it was possible, because in the end something would always come along and steal it away.


	104. Chapter 104

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters posted again, my present to you guys for Christmas, so make sure you read Chapter 103 if you didn't do so last night. Hope everyone's holidays are happy this week. Merry Christmas!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_**The Present: Saturday night, April 21st, 2012** _

“Everything okay?” Rick asked curiously as Sam hurried past them in front of the town hall, slipping past with barely a ghost of a smile on her face. Moving Judith to his other arm, the one opposite of Cassie, he headed up the stairs with her by his side and Carl following behind them. “Sam seemed…tense.”

“Just girl stuff. She’ll be fine.” Cassie replied automatically, knowing that Rick was just being kind and didn’t really want to know what was bothering Sam. Guys just didn’t care about the girly emotional stuff, or so she had been told on numerous occasions. Stepping inside the foyer when Rick opened the door for her, Cassie started to return the favor by opening the door to the auditorium for him, when Carl hurried past her to do it instead. “Thank you.” When Carl was out of earshot, having run off to join a group of friends in line, Cassie smiled at Rick and said, “Seems you’ve raised quite the gentleman. Opening doors and all.”

“I think he must’ve picked it up from watching me with his mom. There hasn’t been much of a need to teach him that stuff since the outbreak.” Rick chuckled and followed in Cassie’s wake towards the buffet line. “Doesn’t hurt that he likes you. Told me so before dinner.”

“So, I got the son’s Seal of Approval, huh? That’s got to help me out with you.” Cassie blushed at her comment and wondered why she was suddenly so shy around Rick when it came to flirting. It wasn’t like she hadn’t been doing that exact thing with every other boy she had meet since she was twelve years old. Glancing over at Rick, a flippant comment on the tip of her tongue to deflect just how jittery she was around him, Cassie’s breath hitched in her throat at the intensity radiating at her from his crystal blue eyes.

“Yeah, actually, it does.” Rick lifted his hand and brushed it gently over the back of Cassie’s arm, the softness of her skin slid over his fingers like silk. His heart beat a steady tattoo in his chest, a heady combination of anxiety and arousal flared inside of him and had him stuttering over his words. “I, uh…you’re still coming by tonight, right?”

“I’d planned on it, if you still want me to. I mean, I know it’s a thing for your group…I don’t want to impose or step on anyone’s toes by being there.” Cassie put a few pieces of roasted carrots on the plate in her hand and added a few bites of turkey and other small items that would be easy for Judith to feed herself with. Since she had started dining with Rick’s family on a regular basis, she had taken to fixing hers and Judith’s plate first and sitting with the baby while Rick fixed his plate, but tonight he was sticking beside her. With both plates in her hand, she moved down a few steps and added another vegetable mix to her plate that Judith would have no interest in.

“I would like you there. Actually, I thought maybe you could stay…the night, I mean.” Rick’s mouth was suddenly dry, parched like the desert as he waited for Cassie’s reply, and he wondered if he was being too forward. As of this moment, he had walked her home every night and dropped her at the front door of her apartment with a chaste kiss on the cheek before heading back home, to bed, alone. Asking her to stay the night had just slipped out, he had intended to ask her to stay after for a while, but somehow those words had gotten misplaced and out tumbled the invitation to spend the night. Although, now that the question was out of the bag, he found that he was hoping she would accept the invite. Seeing the shock on her face, the red flush on her cheeks, he immediately read the expression wrong and started backtracking. “It’s too soon. I shouldn’t have asked. I’m sorry. God, it’s been a long time since I’ve done this.”

“Rick, hush.” Cassie smiled, her happiness slowly spreading across her beautiful face. “I’d love to stay the night. And, later, after everyone has gone to their own homes, maybe we can figure out what this, between us, actually is.” Electricity flared through her when Rick smiled in response, and Cassie wondered why she had never felt that type of rush with anyone else…even Tyler.

Someone coughed behind Rick, a passive way to let them know that they were holding up the line, and the sound jolted them both back to reality. Looking down at the plates that were clutched in her hands, Cassie nodded towards the table they usually sat at and said, “I think this should do it for me and the little lady.”

“Lead the way.” Following behind Cassie, Rick had to force his eyes to stay on the path they were walking and not let them drop to watch the seductive sway of her ample hips and the way the dark blue jeans clung to every curve. It had been a long time since he’d appreciated another woman other than Lori and while the whole experience felt odd, it was also electrifying.

She took a seat across from Daryl, not missing the look she received from Carol in the process, one that radiated curiosity mixed with a tinge of annoyance and had Cassie feeling a little bit disconcerted about joining them for the get together after dinner in spite of Rick’s invitation. Placing the plates on the table, Cassie turned to Rick and held her hands out for Judith, sliding the little girl on to her lap to help her with dinner. Looking up from Judith after giving her a couple pieces of carrots and turkey to mash in her tiny hands, Cassie caught Daryl staring at her intensely and immediately knew why he was glaring at her that way. “She’s in the bathroom, I think.” A fair assumption since Sam had passed them at the entrance and came inside, but hadn’t been seen by Daryl which would indicate she hadn’t fled to the stage to hide from everyone. “I’m kind of busy here, you should probably go check on her.”

“She is a grown woman, I don’t think Daryl needs to run and check on her for being in the bathroom too long.” Carol scoffed, quickly putting a good-natured smile on her face to cover up the tone of her voice. While she didn’t necessarily dislike Sam Collins, she couldn’t quite figure out why Daryl let the woman lead him around like a lovesick puppy. Sure, they’d been married once, but marriages fell apart every day. That didn’t mean you had to let it dictate the rest of your life. “Sometimes girls go to the bathroom to avoid people.”

Cassie smiled, more of a smirk really, when Carol’s comments fell on deaf ears when it came to Daryl. There was something about that lady that just stuck in her craw, but she couldn’t put a finger on it as to why. Looking at her, she was a middle aged housewife that had been thrown in to the apocalypse, soft and motherly looking, but there was something that just didn’t sit right with Cassie. Most likely due to the fact that the woman clearly didn’t want Daryl to get back together with Sam, and that was the very thing that Cassie wanted. Cutting a glance towards Carol as Daryl disappeared out of the auditorium, she sweetly pointed out his avid interest in Sam. “As long as he’s around Sam, he will always make sure she’s okay. It’s just what Daryl does.”

“He does have a soft spot for damsels in distress. Always seemed to do the same with Beth.” Carol added with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Pushing around a pile of vegetables on her plate, she glared at the door that Daryl had just exited and wondered why it had been so long since he’d come to her rescue.

Out in the hallway, Daryl quickly turned to the right and followed the darkened hallway to the bathrooms. Finding the one marked for the ladies room, he didn’t bother to knock before pushing open the door and wondered what would happen if the person in the bathroom wasn’t Sam. Luckily, thanks to the faint light from a candle on the counter, he could plainly tell that it was Sam, perched on top of the white tiled counter with her back leaned against the mirror.

“What would you have done if it wasn’t me in here? You really should knock before entering the ladies room.” Sam shook her head and smiled at Daryl, her mood suddenly lifting a little higher at the sight of him.

“Guess I’d have pissed off some woman, wouldn’t I?” Daryl flicked the lock on the door before he crossed the small bathroom to stand in front of Sam, pressing his hands on her knees to widen them enough to step between them. “Why you hiding out?”

“Needed a breather. Cassie was…well, she was being Cassie.” Sam sighed and looked down as she covered his hands with her own. Just the simple feel of him, the palms of his hands pressing down onto her thighs and the feel of his skin of his hands beneath hers, was enough to have her craving the feel of him elsewhere. It had always been this way with Daryl, a craving that could never be satiated. Addictive. Obsessive.

As if sensing the way she was feeling, his hands slid forward and slipped beneath the fabric of her skirt to rest against the smooth skin of her thighs. Lifting an eyebrow, she shook her head side to side and, with her hands on top of his, slid them back down to rest just above her knees. “You know where that will lead.”

“Can’t help it. I see you, touch you…” His words were spoken low, his gravelly voice washed over her body and sent a jolt to her core. Tracing a pattern on the delicate skin of her inner thigh with his thumb, he glanced up at her through his bangs and asked, “It’s always been that way with you.”

“Like you can’t breathe if you aren’t touching me?” Sam whispered, licking her lips as she stared back in to his heated gaze. “Like you don’t know how you didn’t shrivel up and die when we were apart? Like nothing else matters if you aren’t kissing me?” He nodded in response, his fingers tightening on her thighs to pull her forward, closer to him. Daryl’s lips were so close they were brushing against hers when he spoke, “How’d you know?”

“Because that’s how I feel about you.” Her voice sounded weird, whispered and thick with emotion as she trembled beneath him. Sam’s skin sizzled under his touch, desire tore through her body and set her core aflame with need. And, then, just before his lips crashed against hers, the nagging thought that had been bothering her since lunch came rushing back in to her memory. Turning her head to the side, Sam caught the sight of a flicker of hurt and confusion in his gaze as he pulled away from her. “I’m sorry. I…it’s just after this morning…Daryl, we have to be more careful than that. It was…mind-blowing, but we can’t just let our feelings or whatever totally take over the situation.” Seeing his brow furrow beneath his bangs, Sam realized he didn’t know what she was talking about. “We didn’t use protection, Daryl. We can’t do that again.”

Daryl wanted to point out that she, of all people, should know that having a condom on wouldn’t protect her from getting pregnant, but kept his mouth shut. Her hands were still clenching at his, but the tension in them no longer felt as though it was because of desire. Nodding his head, Daryl pulled his hands away from hers and, when she placed hers on her thighs, covered them over her dainty hands. “Won’t let it happen again.”

“I hate to sound so bitchy and stressed out, but Daryl…we don’t know anything about each other anymore. I don’t know who you’ve been with, you don’t know who I’ve been with…sure, if we weren’t clean we’d know most likely by now, but….shit, I just need to be safe, okay?” Sam’s words were rushed, color flooding in to her cheeks, darkening the bruise that was marring her features.

“I’m clean. You ain’t gotta worry about that.” Daryl reassured her, stroking the tops of her hands with his palms. Of course, he didn’t let on that the reason he knew he was clean was because he’d had to get a checkup after learning that one of his late night, one time only, hookups from the bar he and Merle frequented had a nasty case of the clap. That had been the last time he'd had sex before the outbreak...before Sam. “I was always careful…until you.”

“I was, too. Always used protection with the others.” Sam didn’t miss the flare of anger in his eyes at the mention of her other partners and felt a little angry that he thought he had the right to get upset by them. Not that there were that many, only one other outside of Daryl and Ryan, but still…no doubt less than he had accumulated before and after her.

“Who else?” Daryl couldn’t help but ask, hearing the plural in her comment had his curiosity eating away at him. Not that he had any right to question or be upset by the fact that she’d had other sexual partners, but he was. “How many others?”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.” Sam cocked an eyebrow as she replied to his question with a clipped voice. She couldn’t help it, but there was a sexy quality about him at the moment that had her aching for him again. Possessive, bordering on feral, as he stared at her with fiery eyes. “But, just Ryan…and one other, Judah. Which, I am quite certain is far less than what you’ve acquired over the years.”

He didn’t care about the hurt in her voice, the way her voice cracked when she mentioned his previous lovers. All Daryl cared about at that moment was making sure Sam understood exactly what he thought about the men she had slept with after he walked out on her. Grabbing hold of her thighs, he pulled her roughly against him, spreading her legs wide so that they dangled off the counter on each side of him. Leaning over so that their faces were close enough to feel each other’s breath on their skin, he growled, “There ain’t gonna be any more for you, Sam. No one else. You’re mine, always will be.”

Lost in the heat of his stare, the roughness in his tone and the passion in his voice as he laid claim to her, Sam simply nodded and surrendered to her craving. His lips were on her neck, his teeth scrapped along her skin and she tightened her legs around his waist as she dug her nails in to his shoulders. Nodding to his demands, she whispered, “Always.”


	105. Chapter 105

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the reviews on last week's chapters! I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday break!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

Previously, Rick finally took off his wedding ring and asked Cassie to come to the get together at his house as a "date". Cassie tried to convince Sam that giving in to her feelings for Daryl doesn't necessarily mean that things aren't going to work out a second time around. Daryl cornered Sam in the bathroom to have a chat, ended up discussing her previous sexual partners and left off with Daryl's hands slipping beneath Sam's skirt to do some wicked things....

 

_**The Present: Saturday night, April 21st, 2012** _

Returning to the auditorium, Sam headed inside to fix her plate while Daryl loitered in the foyer to make it a bit less conspicuous that they'd been gone for so long together. She was just sitting down next to Cassie, when Daryl entered the room and sauntered over, looking every bit like the cat who'd just devoured a bowl of cream. Heat flushed over her body as she watched him walk towards the table and she dipped her head as he dropped down in to the seat next to her. Out of the corner of her eye, Sam watched as he looked around for something and then found it in the hands of Judith, who had not only meticulously shredded a napkin, but also now had possession of his plastic fork and was trying her best to spear a bite of carrot.

Shrugging at the lack of utensil availability, Daryl snagged a piece of roasted meat off of his plate with his fingers and popped the morsel into his mouth; he’d gone years without using utensils and certainly didn’t need one now. Cocking an eyebrow at Sam, the only one who'd understand why he was so smug, Daryl raised his right hand to his lips and proceeded to stick his fingers in his mouth, one by one, licking them off before wiping them on his pants.

She could feel the flush of embarrassment that colored her face as she watched Daryl lick his fingers clean. Sam clamped her thighs together, trying to force away the slow burn that was building between them again as the memory of just where those fingers had been only moments before seeped in to her mind. Focusing on the food on her plate, Sam tried to push away the ache for Daryl that was burning through her body.

After dinner, once the plates had been cleared and everyone else was outside, Sam grabbed one of her spare guitars off the stage and hurried to catch up with the group. Keeping a safe distance from Daryl, not because he was threatening to her, but because she had a feeling she wouldn't be able to not reach out and touch him if he was close enough, Sam stuck to Cassie's side all the way to Rick's house.

Once the bonfire had been built, stoked to a bright glow that gave off enough heat to warm the cooling night air, and enough chairs had been collected from nearby houses and scattered around the backyard, Sam sank down in to a chair beside Maggie and Glenn. It didn't take long for the silence to creep in to someone's mind and lead to the inevitable question being asked. Grabbing the guitar she had stowed beside her chair, Sam brought it up in to her lap with a smile and was about to ask Maggie if she had any requests when Daryl's gravelly voice startled her.

"She ain't your damn jukebox! Can't just poke her and make her play whatever in the hell you want to hear." Daryl motioned towards Sam, as though there was any confusion as to who he was referring to, and stared at Maggie with an incredulous look on his face'; the flickering flames of the fire made his features look menacing.

"I didn't mean it that way, Daryl!" Maggie pointed, her worry filled gaze looking back and forth between Daryl and Sam, who had frozen in her seat with wide eyes. "I just thought it might be nice to hear her play, if she wanted to, of course." Turning to Sam fully now, Maggie put her on the spot without meaning to do so. "If you don't want to, Sam, that's fine. I didn't mean to insinuate that's what you were here for or anything."

"Daryl, it's fine. I don't mind playing, seriously. That's why I brought my guitar." Sam replied calmly, lowering her voice in hopes that doing so would cause Daryl to settle down enough to listen to her when she spoke. She tried to make eye contact with him, but his eyes were narrowed and zeroed in on Maggie. Reaching up with one hand, she grabbed hold of his wrist and tugged it to get his attention. "Daryl, chill."

"Not much has changed around here, huh? You still let everyone treat you like you're their goddamned puppet." Daryl growled, his voice low enough that his words only reached the ears of those closest to them before he spun on his heel and stalked away from the bonfire, disappearing in to the cover of darkness that the woods behind the house provided.

Sam stilled, the force in his words left her feeling as though someone had punched her in the chest. Embarrassment flushed across her cheeks and she was thankful that it wouldn't be detectable in the low light from the fire. For a half second, she considered going after him, but opted for staying firmly planted in the wood slatted chair instead. If Daryl wanted to throw a fit, then he could just do so without any attention from her.

"I'm so sorry, Sam. I had no idea he'd react that way." Maggie's eyes were wide as she apologized, even the feel of Glenn's hand stroking her back did little to comfort her. All she had wanted was to relax by the fire, cuddle with her husband and listen to one of her favorite singer's entertain the group. She had never actually considered that Sam might not want to play for them.

"Don't worry about it, Maggie." Sam's reply was genuine, she liked entertaining, liked that by simply doing something she enjoyed she was able to put a smile on someone's face, to alleviate someone's stress and give the gift of happiness for even just a minute; especially with the way the world was these days. Daryl had never been able to comprehend her desire to put her happiness second in order to put a smile on someone else's face. It was just in her nature and he never been able to understand that about her. Or maybe, he did understand it, but hated seeing her put herself second?

Even though Daryl had stormed off in to the woods, Sam could feel the weight of his stare as she situated the guitar and started to sing. She was annoyed with him for putting her on the spot with Maggie, but pleased that he hadn't wandered far. Deciding to keep the mood light, to put an upbeat feel in the air, she ran through a series of cover songs that she used to perform before moving to Nashville, instead of playing the ones that she had written herself.

About an hour and a half later, judging by how many songs she'd worked through by the time it was evident that her aching head demanded a break, Sam was propping the guitar up against her chair when two figures strolled around the edge of the house towards them. The tall figure was easy to identify for Sam, the broad shoulders, narrow waist, loping gait and thatch of dark hair that fell across his forehead was something she was familiar with. She smiled at Ryan as he walked past her to claim a spot on the concrete bench beside her where Sasha had already claimed a spot.

Leaning over, Sam casually said, "Fancy meeting you here. I didn't know y'all knew each other?" She wondered if her question sounded like she was jealous that Ryan was spending time with Sasha, because in reality she was happy to see him not moping around over her.

"Turns out she knew my cousin, went to school with him over in Jacksonville." Ryan replied with a smile. "Even had the same major as me." They weren’t that unlikely of a pair, the sharpshooter who rarely smiled and the scavenger who'd had his heart broken; finding comfort in shared misery often formed bonds. After yet another sleepless night the night before, a walk in the dark alone had led to him striking up a conversation with Sasha, who was on guard duty at the edge of town. After a good hour’s worth of chit chat, they'd realized just how much they had in common.

"That's great, Ryan." Sam's reply was as genuine as the smile that lit up her face. She loved Ryan, thought the world of him and wanted him to be happy. Hearing he was making new friends did a lot to ease the guilt that ate at her consciousness for breaking his heart. Leaning forward, she peeked around his massive form and smiled at Sasha. "Ryan's just the greatest. I'm glad you two have hit it off."

"I'm aware that he's a nice guy and I don't need your permission to spend time with him." Sasha's eyes flickered with annoyance as she eyeballed Sam with visible distaste. "Or are you just trying to get him to move on with me so you don't feel guilty for the way you've been stringing him along? Would make it easier to jump in to bed with Daryl if you didn't have to worry about the pesky ex-boyfriend anymore?"

"T-that's not what I meant at all." Sam stammered and shook her head adamantly side to side to back up her words. She was definitely not accustomed to dealing with someone whose voice dripped with disdain towards her, and suddenly having to do so had her flustered and on the brink of tears. Eyes wide, she tried to explain what she'd meant. "I'm just glad Ryan has someone to talk to, someone that has a shared interest...or did have one, I guess. That's all I meant. I'm sorry if I offended you."

"Yeah, we used to have something in common before everything went to shit. Have you people even realized what's going on out there?" The venom dripped from Sasha's voice, the stress from a culmination of events since the outbreak finally erupting. Her body started to shake as the anger inside her mounted, escaped and landed on the unlikely target in front of her. "It's like everyone in this town has their heads up their asses! And you...you're the worst one of them! You walk around with your head in the clouds, expecting people to cater to your every whim and perform concerts like nothing has changed. Like you're still Miss Prom Queen or head cheerleader, or whatever you were, and the world hasn't fallen completely apart."

Cassie jumped to her feet and crossed to the other side of the bonfire to where her best friend was being verbally accosted by someone that had no business doing so. Hands on her hips, Cassie stepped in to the conversation before Sam could shake herself out of the stupor she was in from being attacked by someone she barely knew. "Actually, Sam was Prom Queen and head cheerleader. She was also the Homecoming Queen, Valedictorian and voted Most Likely to Succeed and Prettiest Smile. And do you know why? Because people like her, which I'm sure is something you are most certainly not accustomed to." Completely at ease at letting her inner bitch escape, Cassie cocked an eyebrow at Sasha and pointed a finger towards Sam. "See? Sam is a genuinely nice person, people gravitate towards her and want to spend time with her because they enjoy being around her. Unlike you, I presume, since you're a mega bitch who's lashing out at the easiest target you could possibly find."

Shooting to her feet, Sasha's tight curls bounced around her face as she stood up to Cassie, who towered over her by a few inches. "Shit is falling apart by the second in this world and you people are sitting around having parties. Playing the guitar and singing like that doesn't get the attention of whatever walker is within earshot. It's like y'all haven't lost anything. Either that or you're dumb a shit." Sasha cut her eyes towards Sam, who was perched on the edge of her seat with tears sparkling in her eyes. "If she doesn't get her head out of the clouds she's going to learn how dangerous life is now. You think what happened with Gabriel is going to be the last of it? Hell, that was one walker and she damn near got herself killed! It's so damned obvious that little Miss Princess hasn't ever had to worry about anything in her life or she wouldn't have been out alone in the middle of the night. Sure as hell proves she doesn't have a clue what's going on out there! Probably doesn't even know what it feels like to lose someone. Have you, Sam? Do you even know the sting of loss, Sam? Or has everything in life always been rainbows and sunshine for you?"

Hands tightly clenched, Sam squeezed her eyes shut and willed away the panic that was gnawing on her control. Blood rushed through her body, she could hear her heart beating wildly in her chest and she struggled to catch her breath, but when she heard Sasha's accusations of not knowing what loss was, what grief felt like, she couldn't hold back the reaction that burst forth. Opening her eyes, a move that sent the wave of tears spilling over her long lashes on to her cheeks, Sam's voice quivered with emotion as she answered Sasha. "I've known loss long before the world fell apart for you. My world fell apart a long time ago, so don't try to tell me what I feel or how I should act." Sasha's disbelieving scoff had her blood boiling and her heart tearing with pain apart as a flash of memory seared through her mind. "I lost my baby, so don't tell me what I feel. I suffered through labor to give birth to my daughter, only to find out she'd died while inside me. So, don't lecture me on loss." Her last words were spoken through gritted teeth, the pain inside bubbling up to the point that it hurt to even breathe.

Cassie watched helplessly as Sam pushed out the chair, the motion caused her guitar to fall over onto the ground, and darted around the corner of Rick's house. Stepping forward, she felt someone's hand circle around her wrist, light enough to not hurt, but firm enough to stop her from moving forward. Glancing down to where Rick was seated, she saw that it was his hand that was holding her back. She followed his line of sight and found that Daryl had emerged from the wood line during the altercation and was now heading after Sam. "I should go check on her though."

"Let Daryl go." Rick's eyes flicked up to Cassie and hated seeing the hurt and worry in her gaze. Pulling her back down beside him, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him. "Give them a minute alone."

"I didn't know." Sasha's words penetrated the silence. She sank down on to the bench next to Ryan and pressed a hand over her mouth. Shaking her head, she glanced over at Rick. "I don't know what came over me. I...I just exploded and I didn't mean it. Not really."

"Sam will understand. Just apologize to her, she'll forgive you." Ryan finally spoke, glancing towards Sasha, who appeared to be in shock from the situation. He was ashamed at himself for not stepping in to defend Sam or at least for not trying to calm Sasha down before things got out of hand. He chalked up his less than stellar reaction to the residual heartache from finding out Sam was back with Daryl, but that didn’t absolve him from not stepping in and doing something to smother out the angry fire in Sasha before Sam got hurt. He knew that he was going to have to make amends with his longtime friend and former love at some point, too. "Apologize and mean it, things will be fine."

"How could she forgive me? I was horrible." Sasha's eyes were wide, shame filled them at her behavior. She was glad her brother was inside with Judith, and wasn’t outside to witness what she had just done to Sam; their mother had taught them better than to act the way she had. Her anxious eyes darted towards the shadows between the houses where Sam and Daryl had disappeared. "Her baby...was it? I mean, the father?"

"Daryl's? Yeah." Rick replied grimly, scrubbing a hand over the stubble on his jawline with a worried expression in his eyes. Glancing towards Sasha, his gaze was hard as he pointed out what she no doubt already knew. "And, I think that's who you need to worry about more."

Hidden in the shadows, it took him a minute to find Sam. Hunkered down with her back pressed against Rick's home. The sound of her crying led him to her, the gut-wrenching sound of her sobs pierced his heart as he sank down on to the ground in front of her and pulled her in to his arms. Daryl held her, stroked her back and simply offered comfort in the form of touch instead of words, until the sound of her sobs turned into gasps for breath. Pulling back, he stared in to her eyes and saw the panic that flooded the green orbs. "Sam, you gotta breathe.”

Clenching her fists tightly, her nails dug in to the soft skin of her palms but the sharp pain refused to distract the anxiety that mounted inside her shaking body. Eyes shut now, squeezed closed tightly, she fought to catch her breath and felt the panic that gnawed away at her inside start to rise when she could only suck in a few gasps of air. Trembling in Daryl's arms, she felt the brush of his whiskers on her skin, the tender press of his lips being whispered across her face and the calming warmth of his words murmured lovingly to her.

"Breathe." Daryl commanded, his voice merely a whisper as he tried to coax Sam to fight off the panic that consumed her. Peppering kisses along her hairline, ghosting his lips over the bruised cheekbone, he begged Sam to return to him. "Breathe for me, Sam. Just breathe and everything will be fine."

When she finally fell apart in his arms, sobbing and gasping for air at the same time, he felt the wetness from her tears on his shirt as she trembled against him. Smoothing a hand over her hair, he brushed back the strands that were stuck to her face in the wake of her tears and smiled softly as the tears wracking her body started to subside. "That's it, told you it'd be better if you'd just breathe."

"Thank you." Sam replied weakly, the energy she'd gotten from playing the guitar now sapped from her body. Pulling back from Daryl, she wiped her hands over her face and winced as she put too much pressure on the gash on her cheekbone. The pain was enough to push back the residual anxiety that lurked in the corner of her mind for the moment.

"They always that bad?" Daryl asked as he stood and offered a hand to Sam, pulling her to her feet when she accepted.

"Not always." Sam shook her head and sighed, this attack was one of the worst she had experienced in a while. One that should have ended after taking one of the pills David kept stashed away for her. Furrowing her brow, she wondered why this time was different, why she hadn't needed to resort to medication to soothe away the fear that clenched at her heart. There was only one answer she could come up with to that question.

Daryl.

Sam's silence worried him. She merely stood there in the near darkness, staring at him with a perplexed look on her face and said nothing. Motioning towards his house, he asked, "You want to go in? Wash your face or something?" When she simply nodded and stepped past him to head towards the house, he shrugged and followed after her. Who was he to question someone's silence, he wasn't exactly a chatterbox himself.

As Sam rounded the edge of his house, Daryl caught sight of Cassie out of the corner of his eye. Telling Sam to go on inside, he waited until she was safely in the house before turning back and jogging over to Cassie. "She's fine. Just wants to wash her face." Glancing back over his shoulder, as though Sam might be lingering even though he'd seen the door close behind her, he lowered his voice as he spoke. "She had one of those attacks, panic things. They always that bad?"

"Not always, she's had some pretty bad ones over the years, but lately those are few and far between thankfully." Cassie eyeballed him curiously and asked, "What makes you think it was a bad one? I mean, the really awful ones typically mean heavy meds and a sleep coma before she's back to normal."

"I dunno. She wouldn't breathe, couldn't breathe actually. Shaking, seemed like she couldn't control it. Maybe it just scared me, might not been that bad?" Daryl shrugged and shoved his hands in his pocket to keep from chewing on the thumb that was begging to be gnawed on. His nerves were frazzled, his temper on the verge of erupting.

"How'd you stop it?" Cassie glanced towards the house, to where a flicker of light was now present in the bathroom window. "I've never seen her come out of a panic attack that bad without medication. How on earth did you do it?"

"I just talked to her. Told her to breathe." Daryl noticed the way Cassie studied him, knew she was starting to piece together the secret that Sam was hoping to keep contained. "Like I said, maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought."

"Or, maybe you just know Sam well enough to talk her through it?" Cassie stepped past Daryl, patting him on the shoulder as headed towards his house. "I'm going to go see if she's okay. Maybe you should make sure that everything is calmed down back at Rick's before I bring her over there again?"

Anger flared up inside him as Daryl nodded and started towards Rick's backyard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You had to know I wouldn't leave the angst alone by now... :)


	106. Chapter 106

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, it has been brought to my attention that I didn't explain myself very well in regards to the sexual partner conversation between Sam and Daryl in the previous chapter. To clear things up for anyone that might be confused, yes, Daryl has always used protection with his other partners, but he still got checked for an STD after finding out that one of them had the ick. Condoms aren't full proof, only like 97% effective, so in my head he was as safe as someone could be while having sex, but still wanted to double check to make sure his dick wasn't going to rot and fall off. Because, hey, no one wants Daryl to be dickless. Our dreams would be ruined. 
> 
> Daryl and Sam haven't been safe, clearly, but I wanted to show how overzealous and irrational their attraction and love for one another makes them act. That, in spite of the fact that Sam doesn't want to get pregnant without being in control of the decision, her lust for Daryl's loins causes her brain to short out and be a little stupid when it comes to making love, or scromping like bunnies. 
> 
> Hope that clears some confusion up for you guys.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The Present: Saturday night, April 21st, 2012**  
_

 

Cassie eased open the rarely used front door and poked her head inside, scanning the darkened room that had once been so familiar. Feeling along the walls of the narrow hallway, she made her way towards the doorway that would lead to the lone bathroom in search of Sam. Mentally cursing herself for forgetting to bring the flashlight that was perched on the ground beside the wooden loveseat she had been sitting on with Rick, Cassie bumped into the archway before slipping through it and the last few steps to the closed bathroom door. Raising her hand, she knocked softly on the white painted door. “Sammie? It’s just me.”

Sam was in the process of lifting another piece of toilet paper to her nose to blow it when Cassie called out to her. Giving her nose one last good honk, she wadded up the scrap of paper and tossed it in to the wastebasket before reaching out and turning the knob to let Cassie inside. Opening it wide enough to allow her to come into the bathroom, Sam turned back to the sink and dipped a washcloth into the bucket of water that sat next to it on the counter. As delicately as possible, so as to not put too much pressure on the bruises on her cheek, Sam dabbed the damp cloth around her eyes to hopefully erase the evidence of her tears. While inspecting her image in the mirror in the faint light of the solitary vanilla scented candle, Sam cut a look at Cassie and asked, “How much of a freak was I?”

“Not a bit.” Cassie replied instantly, which earned her a withering look from Sam. Sighing, she leaned a hip against the counter and crossed her arms under her ample chest. “Okay, maybe a little freaky, but not bad. Mostly everyone is just pissed at Sasha for being mean to you.”

“Have you noticed all I’ve done since they got to town is get upset, cry and run away?” Sam sniffled as she folded up the washcloth and laid it over the edge of the sink. “They probably all think I’m a crybaby, who overreacts to everything.”

“First off, who cares what they think? You have me, so screw the rest of them if they don’t like you. And second, that girl is just being a bitch. Everyone else saw that, so don’t worry about it.” Cassie poked a finger into Sam’s bicep and smiled. “They wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you, maybe it’s time they figure that out.”

“Don’t go starting stuff.” Sam glared at Cassie as she mirrored her position against the counter, not fully striking the same pose since she wasn’t tall enough to fully lift a leg up onto the white tiled countertop without a step stool. “Daddy wouldn’t have made them leave. Not with kids.” Although, as she was saying the words, Sam didn’t have a hundred percent conviction that her father wouldn’t have booted the whole group out if she had asked him to do so because of Daryl.

“Sure he would’ve. Big Jim does whatever has to be done to make his baby girl happy. Always has, you know that. One word from you and adios new people.” Cassie caught the ghost of a frown on Sam’s face at her words and wondered if she was correct in the assumption that there was friction between Mr. Collins and Sam. She had noticed the distance between the father and daughter who were normally close. “Hey, is everything okay between you and your dad? I dunno, things seemed off the past couple of weeks, but you didn’t mention it so I didn’t want to bring it up.”

Sam sighed and averted her eyes, knowing full well that Cassie could read her like a book and she didn’t want to give away all of her secrets just yet. Although, the gnawing feeling in her gut told her that she needed to go ahead and divulge everything to her best friend before the guilt that consumed her got worse. Deciding to wade in to it slowly, the equivalent of sticking one lone toe in the shallow end of the pool, Sam started out by telling Cassie about the deceptive role her father had played in the demise of her marriage. “I found out some stuff that Dad did, a long time ago…all the way back to the summer after Daryl left. We had a big fight and I haven’t been able to forgive him yet, I’m not sure I can.”

“Okay,” Cassie’s response was slow, drawn out and filled with confusion. “Yeah, I’m gonna need more than that, Sam. What did your dad do exactly?” As patiently as possible, Cassie managed to resist the urge to interrupt Sam as she filled her in on everything her father had done to make sure that his daughter was no longer married to Daryl. When Sam was finished, Cassie pushed aside the need to rant and rave at the audacity of Jim Collins, and instead reached out and pulled Sam into a tight hug. After a few seconds, what she had just been told fully registered in her mind and she pulled away from Sam, but left her hands tightly squeezing each of Sam’s shoulders. “Wait a second! So, you and Daryl are still married?”

“Well, yeah, technically.” Sam mumbled, as she extracted herself from Cassie’s impressively strong hold. She walked over to the tiny window and peered outside, the amber glow from the bonfire next door flickered over the window pane and Sam wondered if Daryl had returned back to his group.

“Technically? Geez, woman! I don’t know how you can stand there and seem so calm.” Cassie couldn’t keep the enthusiasm out of her voice, but hadn’t missed the sadness in her friend’s response, which was surprising. “Isn’t that what you want? Haven’t you always wanted to be back with Daryl, all happily married and popping out kids or something? Why don’t you seem more, you know…happy? Does he know?”

“Yes, Daryl knows and I don’t know how to feel about it, Cass.” Sam replied, conveniently leaving out the bit where she and Daryl had been spending nearly every night with one another since the revelation. Turning away from the window, Sam grabbed the candle holder and motioned for Cassie to leave the bathroom. “Can we talk about this tomorrow, maybe? I really just want to go home.” And curl up underneath the comforter and forget the whole incident with Sasha and the subsequent panic attack of epic proportions had ever happened.

“What? No! You can’t go home. Not yet!” Cassie put out her hands, blocking the exit to the bathroom to keep Sam from doing her usual duck and run. “You were having fun. Don’t let her ruin your night.”

“I cannot possibly go back out there, Cass. Not after that.” Sam shook her head and moved forward in hopes that Cassie would stop blocking the doorway. “Come on, don’t make me go back over there.”

“Sam, I once saw you perform with the flu and like, a hundred and two degree fever. And, it was a fantastic performance. Going back over to a bonfire with some friends will be a piece of cake since I am pretty sure that Daryl will have taken care of that Sasha girl by now.” Cassie reluctantly dropped her arms and huffed with frustration as Sam slinked around her and started down the hallway towards the door. “Fine! If you’re leaving, then I’m coming with you.”

“What? No!” Sam whirled around and faced off with Cassie. “Tonight is special though. You’re supposed to stay with Rick, you can’t go home with me.”

“Tough. I’m not going to let you run off and hide because some hussy decided to ruin everyone’s good time. So, either you stay here with me or I come home with you.” Cassie smiled, the flickering light from the candle gave the expression a devious look.

If there was a functioning clock in the house, the silence that hung between them would have been enough to hear the ticking of the clock hands. Eventually, Sam relented, which is exactly what Cassie knew she would do when faced with ruining her best friend’s evening. Sighing, Sam turned around and opened the front door with a grimace on her face. She had no desire to return back to the scene of her humiliation, but she was also a good enough friend to not want Cassie to back out of the plans she had with Rick just to sit around a dark apartment with her. Sam blew out the candle and sat it on the small table by the door before stepping out on to the front porch. Clutching the railing, she waited for Cassie to exit out on to the landing with her before starting down the stairs. When her feet hit the concrete walkway at the end, the sound of raised voices finally made their way through the darkness to her ears.

Reaching out, she grabbed hold of Cassie’s arm and pulled her to a stop. “Wait. I don’t want to go back just yet. Not if they’re in the middle of an argument or something.”

Back at the bonfire, Rick was doing his best to run interference between Daryl and Sasha, but simply placing his body in front of his friend’s determined pace wasn’t enough to slow Daryl down. He had seen Daryl stalking back and forth in the shadows after Cassie had disappeared to go check on Sam, pacing across grass with a savage look gleaming in his eye like a wild animal. After several minutes went by without Daryl moving forward or confronting Sasha, Rick had breathed a sigh of miscalculated relief.

Daryl had simply been gearing up for the attack.

“Daryl, Sasha made a mistake. She’s going to apologize to Sam. You need to calm down, nothing good is going to come of this.” Rick’s words were spoken calmly, a complete sham to the mounting anxiety inside his body. With a hand placed on his friend’s chest, he stared at Daryl and tried to get him to calm down before everything flew out of his control.

“Fuck that!” Daryl growled, his angry blue gaze piercing through the night to land on the culprit to Sam’s panic attack. Pointing at the visibly upset Sasha, he ground out, “You need to watch your goddamned mouth. You ain’t the only one that’s lost people around here. We’ve all lost someone, you ain’t special, sweetheart.” The term of endearment was anything but as it dripped off Daryl’s tongue scornfully enough to cause Sasha to visibly flinch. Sidestepping Rick, quick enough that he was about to get around him, but not fast enough that he didn’t feel his friends hand press cautiously against his shoulder; a clear reminder that Rick was there to pull him back if things got too heated.

Daryl’s voice shook with anger as he spat out his words, no longer caring what anyone in the group thought about him while he returned the attack that Sasha had unleashed on Sam. “I lost my brother! Had to put him down like a fucking rabid dog. You got any clue what that feels like? Shit, Carol lost her daughter! Rick lost his wife. Hell, Maggie lost her whole damned family. Before you go mouthing off about your hurt feelings, might want to check the attitude and not go after Sam. She’s the only damned reason any of us are here, with homes and food. She’s putting up with me, someone she hated, because she didn’t want to kick out a group with kids. One damned word from her and we all get our sorry asses tossed out. You want that?”

Daryl glared at Sasha, who simply sat there with tears shining in her eyes and shook her head side to side without uttering any words. Cursing, he grabbed Sam’s guitar off the ground and turned to go back to his house and find her, but was stopped when Carol’s hand grabbed hold of his wrist. When he glanced down, he saw the worry in her eyes and a flicker of anger that disappeared as fast as it appeared. His voice was rougher than he intended it to be when he spoke. “What?”

“Is that true? What you said about Sam?” Carol asked quietly, her voice dropping low enough so that only the handful of people within earshot could hear. When Daryl nodded, letting her know exactly how much power Sam possessed in the small town, how much she held over their fate, her gaze narrowed as she stared up at him. “Is there something we can to do about that?”

Daryl cocked his head to the side and stared down at Carol, the woman in the group who had been one of his closest friends he had ever had and tried to decipher her words. After the incident at the jail, when she had burned two of the people who had joined their group after they had gotten sick, his trust in her had wavered ever since. His hackles were up, maybe his anger was dictating his reaction, but then again, maybe it wasn’t. There was a chance that the threat he heard in her voice was real and he wasn’t going to stand for it. Growling, he yanked his arm away from her grasp with enough force to have her eyes widening. “There ain’t nothing involving Sam you need to worry about.”


	107. Chapter 107

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos on the previous chapter! I wish I could say thanks for the comments, but I didn't get any. *sniff sniff* Hope you guys have a great New Year's Eve, stay safe!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

__  


_**The Present: Saturday, April 21st, 2012**  
_

The shouting had stopped, silence filled the air once more, so Sam followed Cassie back towards Rick’s yard; her heart thumped anxiously in her chest and her palms were moist with her nervousness. No sooner than they’d cleared half of the distance, Daryl came barreling around the corner with Sam’s guitar clutched in his hand and a fierce expression on his face. Clearly, he hadn’t calmed down much since leaving her in the capable hands of Cassie.

Seeing Sam and Cassie heading back towards the bonfire, Daryl pulled up short and glared at them. “You ain’t going back over there are you? After the way she treated you?”

“That’s why she is going back over there. She can’t let that Sasha girl run her off when she was having a good time, Daryl.” Cassie pointed out, having dealt with her fair share of bitches and bullies over the years.

“It’ll be fine, I promise.” Sam said to Daryl as she closed the distance between them. Glancing over her shoulder at Cassie, she motioned for her to return to the bonfire. “Go on back, I just need to talk to Daryl for a second.”

Once Cassie relented and headed back to reclaim her spot next to Rick, leaving Sam standing at the edge of the shadows with Daryl, she turned her attention back to him and tried to explain why she was staying around instead of going home. Looking up into his eyes, the blue orbs that sparkled from the tiny sliver of moonbeam that was peeking through the clouds above, she smiled softly as she took in the concern that filled them. She started to speak, the sound of his name had barely rolled off her tongue, but he cut her off before she could even begin.

“You don’t got to go back over there just because Cassie wants you to.” Daryl stepped forward, closing the gap that he had left between them when Cassie was still standing next to Sam. The hard expression on his face softened as he moved closer to Sam, the anger that had been radiating from his body seemed to dissipate from simply being next to her.

“Yes, I do.” Sam replied, lifting her hand to place it softly against his chest, using the cover of darkness and the placement of his body to conceal her touch. She tilted her head back and smiled up at him. “Rick took off his wedding ring.”

Daryl paused, wondering where his mind had been to allow Sam to notice something about his best friend before he did. Furrowing his brow in confusion, he asked, “So? What’s that got to do with you going back over there?”

“Because he asked Cassie to spend the night with him.” Sam laughed softly at the shocked expression on Daryl’s face. “And, if I go home, she’s going to follow me. I don’t want to ruin that…for either of them. So, I stay…maybe play some and go home in a little while. Although, I will probably need someone to walk me home, being helpless and all. Think maybe you could make sure I make it home, to bed, safely?”

He sucked in a deep breath, taken by surprise by the feel of Sam’s hand slipping beneath his shirt so that she could tug on the edge of his pants above the button. Daryl cocked a half smile at Sam and grabbed hold of her hand, halting her from further teasing him with the delicate touch of her fingertips against his stomach. His fingers were halfway laced with Sam’s, when the heavy footfalls of someone approaching caught his attention. Dropping her hand, as well as the suggestive reply that was on the tip of his tongue, Daryl took a step back from her as Ryan rounded the corner of the house.

“Hey, sorry if I’m, uh…interrupting.” Ryan’s gaze flickered between Sam and Daryl uncertainly, before finally settling on his ex-girlfriend with a sheepish expression on his face. “I’m about to head out, was wondering if I could talk to you for a second before I go?” Shoving his hands in his pocket, Ryan pinned Daryl with a very pointed look before adding, “Alone? If that’s okay?”

“Yeah, of course.” Sam replied without hesitation. Glancing over at Daryl, she touched his sleeve gently as he glowered at her beneath dark bangs; clearly unhappy with being brushed aside for Ryan. “I’ll be over in a minute.”

Still holding Sam’s guitar, Daryl took a step backwards and glared at the two of them before turning and returning to the backyard he had just stormed out of. Sam knew Daryl was jealous, likely felt like she was pushing him away to spend time with Ryan, and she blamed herself for not telling him that Ryan had figured out their secret. Focusing on Ryan so that she could hurry up and get back to the bonfire, figuring the less time spent in the darkness with her ex-boyfriend the best, Sam asked, “What’s up?”

“Look, I didn’t know she was going to start anything with you.” Ryan managed to get out before the determination he had possessed to apologize to Sam started disappearing. Coming around the corner to find her inches away from Daryl had hurt, the sharp pang of regret pinched his heart and had the anger and regret at losing Sam bubbling back up to the surface. But, deep down, he had always known that she wasn’t fully his, that her heart had always belonged to her ex-husband, and so he did his best to push aside those tumultuous feelings and focus on trying to keep their friendship intact. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I should’ve stepped in, told Sasha to leave you alone or something…not just sat there and let her dig in to you.”

“Ryan, I didn’t even think for a second to blame you for any of that, so you’re apology is not needed. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Sam replied honestly, although she was a little surprised by his apology because during the whole fiasco and every second up until Ryan had given it, she hadn’t even thought about his involvement. “You sure you have to leave?”

“Yeah, Sasha headed back to her place already and I’m kind of tired, didn’t get much sleep last night.” Ryan’s eyes darted away from Sam’s, hating that he let her know just how much finding out she was back with Daryl had bothered him, since she knew he rarely had difficulty sleeping unless he was stressed out. “Plus, not really in the mood to have Daryl glare at me all night.”

“Yeah, well, he would do that. I don’t think he likes you very much.” Sam smiled as she pointed out the obvious, since Daryl had never been too fond of Ryan, and had never been shy about making that fact known. “Maybe some other time then? It’d be nice to not have to be the only one entertaining everyone.”

“Eh, they don’t have any interest in hearing me sing. All everyone wants to hear is your voice, Sam. Always been that way.” Ryan’s response was wholehearted and summed up with a genuine smile. “Not that I like singing anyway. So, no big loss.”

“You have a great voice. One of these days you’re going to listen to me about that.” Sam stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Ryan, her arms circled his narrow waist tightly as she leaned against his chest and hugged him. When they parted, too soon for Ryan’s tastes, she tilted her head back and smiled up at him. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but I really don’t want to lose you, Ryan. I love you and I’d hate to not spend time with you anymore. I’d miss playing on stage with you, too. I get that I hurt you and I’m sorry about that, but I guess I’m selfish and still want to have you as a friend?”

“Selfish? You? Not likely, you’re probably the least selfish person I’ve ever met. And, you’ll always have me, Sam. Friend or whatever…I’m here. Doesn’t mean I like seeing you with him, but I’m here.” Sighing, Ryan leaned down and brushed a kiss across Sam’s cheek before disappearing into the shadows towards his house. With a slightly less heavy heart, Sam mentally pulled on her big girl panties and marched around the corner of the house towards the glowing amber light of the bonfire.

”I was beginning to think Ryan had kidnapped you.” Cassie announced a little too loudly for Sam’s tastes since the glower on Daryl’s face only grew darker at her words. Realizing her voice was carrying more than usual, she leaned across the arm rest towards Sam and lowered her tone. “What did he want?”

“Just to apologize for earlier. Thought he should have stepped in or something. Nothing big.” Sam leaned back and propped the heel of one boot on the bottom rung of the slatted chair and wondered if she was imagining the tension in the air or if it was really that thick. Deciding the only way to alleviate the mood was by lightening it the only way she knew how, Sam reached down beside the chair and retrieved the guitar Daryl had left there for her; knowing her well enough to know she would reach for it sooner, rather than later. “Okay, then, where were we?”

“That’s my girl.” Cassie muttered loud enough for the world to hear as she scooted down in the seat and leaned against Rick. “Sing me one of those lovey-dovey songs, Sam. You know, all those ones that are clearly about your love for me?”

“Sure, Cass…you’ve figured out my secret. This whole time I’ve been harboring a crush on you.” Sam laughed and the sound twinkled through the air like an instant dark mood eradicator. “But, how about we work up to the lovey-dovey stuff?” Without waiting for a reply, Sam started strumming the guitar softly and launched into round two of upbeat songs from the days when she played at Tiny’s bar.

A good while later, the better part of two hours actually if her count on songs was correct, Cassie interrupted Sam with a pout. “Come on! Play your stuff!” Although Sam didn’t know it, Cassie was actually trying to hatch the devious plan she had concocted earlier in the evening on the way from town to Rick’s house. She had decided that the more Sam sang about Daryl, hence basically every single song she had written in the past twelve years, that it might cause the feelings she had for him to finally break free from her heart and penetrate that thick, stubborn skull of hers.

Little did she know that there was no reason to hatch such a devious little plan.

“Fine. Fine.” Sam relented and, in a move that would lead to the unraveling of her well-guarded secret, started strumming the strings to the beat in her heart; one of the newest songs she’d scribbled to music since landing in Daryl’s arms merely two short weeks ago. All she really wanted to do was sing something upbeat, instead of succumbing to the tearjerkers she usually performed, but what came out was the evidence of her love for Daryl Dixon. “This one’s called, Bright.”

 _“I think the universe is on my side...Heaven and Earth have finally aligned…Days are good and that’s the way it should be.”_ She could feel his eyes on her and the full body blush that covered her body was proof of the effect his gaze had on her. Dipping her head slightly to the side, Sam let her hair fall over her shoulder and closed her eyes to block Daryl from her sight, in hopes that she wouldn’t lock gazes with him and end up singing the whole song directly to his heart. _“You sprinkle star dust on my pillow case…It’s like a moonbeam brushed across my face…Nights are good and that’s the way it should be.”_

 _“You make me sing ooh, la, la, la…You make a girl go Oh, Oh…I’m in love, love.”_ Tapping her foot along with the beat of the music, Sam’s stomach fluttered with butterflies as she sang about her love for Daryl; the feelings that she had to put to words and give to him. _“Did you see the shooting star tonight? Were you dazzled by the same constellation? Did you and Jupiter conspire to get me? I think you and the Moon and Neptune got it right…’Cause now I’m shining bright, so bright…Bright, so bright.”_

 _“And, I see colors in a different way…You make what doesn’t matter fade to gray…Life is good and that’s the way it should be.”_ Her eyes drifted open slowly, a soft smile was spread on her face as she made her way to the next verse and it was when she opened her mouth to sing about just how much she loved Daryl that her gaze connected with Cassie’s wide eyed stare and mouth opening and closing, much like a confused guppy who had just learned the answer to the universe. Not missing a beat, Sam continued, but managed to dart her eyes over to Daryl in hopes of silently transferring the message to him that Cassie had just put two and two together to get four. _“You make me sing oh, la, la, la…You make a girl go oh, oh. I’m in love, love.”_

Seeing Sam’s intense stare as she pointedly looked at him before darting her eyes to Cassie, who was on the edge of her seat with a wide eyed look of surprise. Realizing that the proverbial cat was out of the bag, Daryl pushed out of his seat and stalked around the edge of the chairs until he was directly behind Cassie. Reaching down, he grabbed hold of her hand, tugged her out of the chair while a bit more force than intended, which earned him a sharp cut of the eye from Rick, before his friend clearly figured out what was going on and simply smiled. “We need to talk.”

As Sam’s lilting voice followed them, singing about constellations and planets aligning, Daryl pulled a stumbling Cassie in to the same darkness he’d seemingly spent most of his night hiding within. Once they were sufficiently out of earshot, Daryl stopped and let go of Cassie’s hand. “You, uh…figure something out back there?”

“You and Sam? Like you and Sam?” Cassie hissed, her eyes still wide as she began her inquisition. Without letting Daryl answer, she continued, “When? Where? When? What happened?”

“You gonna let me answer at all or you just gonna keep on at it?” Daryl replied the instant Cassie paused to take a breath. The grin on his face could have been described as cocky by some, but those that knew him well would see the happiness that shone there. Cassie stared at him and only offered up an answer to his response by gesturing emphatically with her hands for him to just explain. “Uh, couple weeks ago. She found out we was still married, came over and then, well…shit, we’ve been, um…seeing each other?”

“Ohmygod! I knew it! I knew y’all would get back together.” Cassie jumped up and down in place and did the dance of happiness as she smiled and squealed like a kid on Christmas morning. For that moment, she didn’t care that her inner romantic was showing. When she stopped, she scrunched her face up and asked, “But, why didn’t y’all want me to know? Why keep it from me?”

“Sam didn’t want no one knowing. Said she didn’t want to risk Jacey getting hurt if it didn’t work out.” Daryl admitted, hating to see the hurt on Cassie’s face. He understood how it felt to be kept in the dark, but with Sam, it was usually him that was kept secret, period. “Figured wasn’t no point in arguing with her too much about it, didn’t want her to start thinking too much and call it off. So, I went along with it.”

“Ok, ok, I guess I can see her reasoning. I can totally see yours, we both know that Sam over thinks everything.” The smile returned to Cassie’s face and before Daryl knew what was happening, her arms were tightly wrapped around him in a bear hug; such a simple act, yet one he’d never quite gotten accustomed to with anyone other than Sam. Releasing Daryl from her hold, Cassie did a smaller version of her happy dance and pinned him with a look. “But she loves you, I know that for certain. And, you love her, too, right?”

“Yeah, ‘course I do.” Daryl mumbled, even less comfortable talking about his feelings than he was about receiving gestures of affection. When Cassie stopped bouncing around yet again, Daryl took that opportunity to bring up the revelation Sam had shared with him about Rick, and felt like an overbearing parent by doing so. “Heard you’re staying the night with Rick…what’s the deal with that?”

“I wish I could answer that. He asked me at dinner, even took his ring off. I...I’m honestly a fish out of water here, Daryl. You know I’ve never done the slow thing before, it’s been a long ass time since anyone wanted to spend time with me strictly because they want to spend time with me.” Cassie’s smile slipped away to be replaced by a look of sheer uncertainty and the lack of self-esteem that she struggled to hide. “Rick? He’s nice, and sweet, and…a little intense at times, but I like him.”

“Me and Rick, we ain’t exactly sat down and talked about his feelings, but he took off his ring for you. That band ain’t been off his hand since he found his wife after he woke up in the hospital from that coma. Not after he found out she’d been with his best friend, not after he found she was pregnant and wasn’t no one sure who’s Judith daddy really was, not since she died.” Daryl nodded towards Cassie and hoped she understood what he was trying to convey. “He’s a good man, Cass. Been through hell with him, watched him fall apart, too. I think you’re as good for him as he is for you.”

“Thank you, Daryl.” Cassie slid her arms around Daryl again, felt him stiffen beneath her touch and her heart ached at the fact that he was so uncomfortable by the simple gesture. Sam had filled her in on some of his life before they met, the abuse from his father, his alcoholic absent mother and, of course, the sonofabitch of a brother that led him around with mind control, so Cassie knew why Daryl shied away from affection. She would have to under the same circumstances, but it didn’t stop her from showing him that she cared. Releasing her hold on him, Cassie turned to go back to the bonfire, but stopped and turned to Daryl. “You’re a good man, too, Daryl. It’s about time you realize that.”

Choked up by the simplest of words, Daryl nodded as he followed behind Cassie. Didn’t matter how many times he heard it, not from Sam, from Rick or from Cassie, he doubted he would ever see in himself what the ones he cared for saw in him.

Song: Bright by Echosmith


	108. Chapter 108

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the reviews on last week's chapters!!!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

__  
**Previously:**  
Sasha pulled the bitch card and verbally attacked Sam. Daryl talked Sam down from a panic attack and Cassie finally put two and two together and learned the truth about Sam and Daryl.

 

_**The Present: Saturday, April 21st, 2012** _

 

The fire crackled, popped and flickered, as the golden flames warmed the cool night air. Sam curled against Cassie, leaning her head on the shoulder of her oldest friend, and yawned loudly. Her guitar lay on the ground beside the chair she had vacated when Rick had disappeared into the house a while back to soothe his fussy daughter, who clearly didn't want to be stuck in a crib when the rest of her family was outside enjoying themselves since she refused to go back to sleep. Unlike Judith, Sam was exhausted and was half asleep when the sounds of people moving around caught her attention. Cracking one eye, she saw the handful of people that remained preparing to leave.

"Wake up, sleepyhead. I think the party's over." Cassie announced as she poked Sam's thigh to wake her. Her stomach felt as though an entire colony of butterflies had taken up residence inside her, thanks to the sudden case of nerves now present as the clock ticked down to the end of the evening. While she had no doubt in her mind that she wanted to spend the night with Rick, Cassie had no idea what to expect since all they had done up to this point was partake in a heavy dose of flirting and a few innocent kisses. Not once in the nearly twenty years since she had lost her virginity had she ever been this nervous about falling in to bed with a man and she wasn't quite sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. "Is Daryl going to walk you home?"

"Um, yeah, I think so." Sam replied sleepily as she sat up and yawned once more. She glanced around Rick's backyard, searching for Daryl, who had wandered off in to the woods with a cigarette dangling off his bottom lip a while back and had yet to reappear. "Not really sure where he is though."

"He does that sometimes." Maggie said from across the fire as she folded up the one of the chairs she and Glenn had brought over with them. "Disappears without a word, I mean. He'll show up at some point, probably with a dead possum or something. We could walk you home if you want. Wouldn't be a problem."

"I don't want to be a pest. I'm sure Daryl will show up eventually." Sam shook her head as she pulled her jacket tighter around her body, the nip in the air had grown worse as the wind started picking up. Judging by the dull ache in her wrist, the storm that had been causing the old injury to act up wasn't far off.

"If Daryl's not back soon, I'll make sure Sam gets home safely." Tyrese chimed in, his massive form was back-lit by the pale moon and made him appear even larger than normal; something that probably made most people feel uncomfortable around him, but wasn't an issue for Sam since he matched her brothers in size.

Feeling like a child that needed a babysitter, Sam mumbled her appreciation to Tyrese and was leaning back against the chair when a tiny red spot in the wood line caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. Leaning forward, she narrowed her eyes and waited for it to reappear once more. When it did, she realized what it was and said, "Thanks for the offer, Tyrese, but Daryl's just over there. I'll just wait for him."

"If you change your mind, you know where to find me." Tyrese nodded towards Sam and started to leave, pausing mid-stride to turn back to her. "Sam? I wanna apologize for whatever happened with Sasha. She's having a hard time, know that's no excuse, but I'm sorry she took it out on you." He had intercepted his little sister as she was heading home and knew that something had happened between her and Sam, although he wasn't sure exactly what had occurred while he was inside putting Judith to bed. All he knew was that whatever Sasha had said or done had upset Sam a great deal and that his sister was adamant that the fault was all her own.

"Thank you, Tyrese, but you have nothing to apologize for." Sam replied, a tired smile on her face as she looked up at Tyrese, who simply nodded in return. "You have a good night."

Chair in hand, Maggie waited by Sam until Tyrese disappeared between the houses on the way to the one he shared with his sister across the street. Reaching down, she put a hand on Sam's shoulder and said, "Before we go, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry, too. We all are. Sasha was out of line tonight. Y'all have had it different than the rest of us, but there's more people here...it's safer with numbers. I'm glad we ended up here. I know it hasn't been easy for you, or for Daryl, but if we hadn't stumbled on this town, I wouldn't have gotten a chance to get to see you again and you wouldn't have given me that picture. So, thank you again, for that. You gave me piece of my family back, something I thought I'd lost forever."

“I wish it could’ve been more.” Sam replied with eyes full of honesty as she looked up in to Maggie’s gaze that shimmered with heavy emotion. “And, thank you for your apology, Maggie. But, like I told Tyrese, there’s no need for it, really.” The brunette beauty simply nodded in response and smiled softly as she turned back to her husband, the tears she was trying to hold at bay making sure that her voice was also not present. 

Still waiting for Daryl to magically reappear, Cassie kept Sam company on the bench while the others made their way towards their respective homes. It wasn’t long before they were they were left alone with the slowly dying fire, which was when Cassie grabbed hold of the moment of privacy and started in on Sam for keeping secrets. “Why’d you keep it from me? I mean, it’s you and Daryl. It hurts that you thought you needed to keep me in the dark, Sam.”

“And, it was you and my brother, Cass. Yet, I didn’t find out for like ten years.” Sam pointed out quickly. “But, yeah, I get what you’re saying and I’m sorry. I really am. I just…if it’s out there and everyone knows…it’s real then and I’m not sure I am ready for the realness. Plus, I don’t want Jacey to get her hopes up, about us being a family and stuff. When Daryl eventually leaves, it won’t just be my heart that gets broken this time.”

“But, last time, when he left…that was all a misunderstanding, right? I mean, yeah, you guys were fighting, but it was your dad being meddlesome that caused Daryl to leave in the end. I don’t think he’s going anywhere this time, Sam.” Cassie watched with a wary eye as Sam avoided making eye contact with her and focused instead on fiddling with the ponytail holder on her left wrist. “I think you’re making a mountain out of a mole hill, personally. Why can’t you just go with it and let yourself be happy for once?”

“I am happy, I think, and that’s the problem. I just can’t trust how happy I am right now…how happy Daryl makes me.” Sam sighed as she snapped the band on her wrist and stared past Cassie to the spot where she’d last seen the glowing ember of Daryl’s cigarette. “Because I know it’s not going to last, Cass. It’s going to end, it’s going to end badly and I don’t want Jacey’s heart to get broken because of it….because I know mine’s going to break, too. And, I’m not sure I’m going to survive it this time. Last time nearly killed me, it was like I couldn’t breathe anymore when he left. If I give in and go with it, what if it crushes me again?”

“I get what you’re saying. I was there, you know? I know what losing Daryl and Emily did to you. Hell, I’m not sure I can make it through it either, if it happens again. But, Sam…if that’s what you believe is going to happen, then it will. And you know why? Because you’re going to ruin it, whatever y’all could have, before it has a chance to become something.” Hearing how logical the advice coming out of her own mouth surprised Cassie and she wondered exactly when it had happened…when had she become the levelheaded advice giver out of the two of them?

Sam snorted and laughed softly, realizing that without meaning to, Cassie and Rick had basically given her the exact same advice on the subject of Daryl. Maybe they were more compatible than everyone thought? “That’s what Rick said, too. Well, mostly.”

“Rick? He knew and I didn’t?” Cassie glowered at Sam, her feelings good and hurt at the realization that Rick had been clued in to the secret before she had. “I can’t believe you told Rick before me.”

“She didn’t tell me.” Rick’s voice surprised both women, as he popped up all of the sudden and sank down on to the chair next to Cassie. Glancing past them, he spotted Daryl’s shadowy form approaching from the woods and nodded towards him. “Y’all staying at his place or yours tonight?’

“Mine, probably. I didn’t bring any clothes to change in to and I don’t want to show up at breakfast wearing this.” The thought of showing up to the auditorium for meal time in the clothes she had been wearing the night before at dinner brought a flush of mortification to her cheeks, which was thankfully dulled by the glow from the fire that was giving all it had to stay burning. Standing up, Sam walked over and grabbed her guitar and moved towards Daryl. Smiling down at Cassie, she pressed a kiss to the pads of two fingers and placed them on her friend’s forehead. “Don’t be mad at me. I do stupid things sometimes. You two have a good night.”

“You know I can’t stay mad at you for long.” Cassie poked her lower lip out and pretended to sulk for a moment before shaking her head and bidding Sam a good night as well. Once her friend was out of sight and safely heading towards town on the arm of Daryl, Cassie turned to Rick and narrowed her eyes. “So, how did you find out before me, exactly? And how long have you known?”

“Just since yesterday morning and completely by accident, I promise.” Rick’s eyes twinkled as he recalled the sight of Sam falling out of Daryl’s window. Standing up, he started the process of putting out the fire in preparation of going to bed. While doing so, he explained the situation a bit further. “She, uh…failed at being stealthy. Tried to crawl out Daryl’s back window yesterday morning, but fell out of it instead. Landed flat on her ass a split second before seeing me on the porch.”

“Oh my,” Cassie giggled and glanced over her shoulder at the darkened rear of Daryl’s window. Enough light filtered through the cloudy night sky to show just how far off the ground the back window was and she wondered what in the hell had been going through Sam’s mind; it had been far too long since Sam had topped the cheerleading pyramid or flew around the uneven bars in gymnastics for her to be jumping out windows. Picturing her best friend falling out of the window and landing on her ass in an attempt to hide spending the night with Daryl had Cassie chuckling loud enough to cover her mouth with her hand in an attempt to stifle the sounds.

“Judging by how red her face was, I’d say she was sufficiently mortified. If that makes you feel any better.” Now that the fire was completely laid to rest, Rick straightened and turned to Cassie and extended his hand to her. It was now or never, he figured that if he didn’t make the first move they’d likely both end up sitting outside the entire night. Cassie slid her hand in to his with a shy smile on her face and stood up. Before leading her in to his house, Rick brushed a kiss across her forehead and added, “She also made sure to let me know how great you are…like I wasn’t already aware.”

Cassie’s heart skipped a beat at Rick’s words and a huge smile lit up her face to reflect the happiness that surged inside of her. Blushing under the weight of his intense stare, Cassie admitted that his best friend had had the same talk with her. “Daryl said the same thing to me about you. Like I didn’t already know.”

“Seems like they give good advice. Don’t take it worth a damn, but can dish it out.” Rick chuckled and stepped back from Cassie, turning to lead her in to his house. He wondered if his palm reflected how nervous he was and prayed it wasn’t moist with his mounting apprehension. It had been a long time since he had been with anyone other than his wife. They’d married young and he had kept the promise he had given to her during their vows even during the shaky days of their marriage. Standing at the bottom of the stairs that led up onto the back porch, Rick took a deep breath and glanced over to Cassie. “You, uh, still want to stay the night?”

“Can’t think of any place else I’d rather be.” Cassie replied truthfully, her words came out in a breathless rush and she wondered if Rick could hear the rapid beating of her heart. Holding on to Rick’s hand with a near death grip, she couldn’t wipe the smile off her face as she followed him in to the quiet house.


	109. Chapter 109

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The Present: Sunday, April 22nd, 2012**  
_

Snuggled against Daryl’s side, Sam idly traced a fingertip over the planes of his chest and smiled with an almost giddy happiness. She could think of few things better than waking up in Daryl’s arms, making love to him as the sun woke up and painted the sky with vibrant oranges and violets, curling against his warm body and the feel of his arms wrapped around her body. In fact, it would have been absolutely perfect except for the fact that he, yet again, refused to open up to her and adamantly refused to talk about his life after they split.

Sam didn’t want his silence to bother her, but it did and she knew why. During the course of their brief relationship the first time around, the only time Daryl had refused to talk to her about what he was doing or who he was with was when everything had started falling apart between them and she wanted to do everything possible this time around to keep that from happening again. They had miraculously managed to find their way back in to one another’s lives again and she wanted to keep it that way.

For the past couple of weeks, she had approached the subject of his past by starting with the days after he had left Collins and she wondered if Daryl might open up a bit more if she worked her way backwards instead. She chewed on her bottom lip momentarily and decided it was worth a shot at least to try. "Have you known Rick long?"

"Just since the outbreak." Daryl replied, answering Sam's question, but not offering up any further information. His mind briefly flashed back to the early days of his relationship with Rick and a snort of laughter escaped at the thought. If anyone had told him that day that Rick Grimes would eventually become his best friend, his brother, he would have likely punched them in the nose for making such a ridiculous statement. The deputy and the criminal? That relationship would have never been able to flourish past an arrest before the outbreak. Now though, Daryl wondered if either of them would have survived this long without the other.

"Really?" Sam couldn't keep the shock out of her voice. "I wouldn't have thought so, not with how close y'all seem. I sure would have pegged him for being around you for longer than that. So, you've been with him and his group since the get go? From what I've heard from the supply groups, it's a pretty impressive achievement to keep a group of that size together without having a permanent place to stay. Always on the run? Never knowing where your next meal is?"

"It ain't been easy. Had a couple places to stay here and there. Maggie's farm, the prison up north of Atlanta. Did okay until we lost those." Daryl stared at the ceiling while running his fingers through Sam's long locks, loving the silky feeling of them slipping across his skin; something he hadn't realized he had missed as much until it was back in his life. "Lost a lot of people. Group we have now ain't the original ones. Only Rick and his family, Maggie and Glenn, Carol...everyone else we've picked up here and there."

"I heard it was really bad after the last place fell apart. The prison? Rick mentioned to Cassie that y'all got split up. I couldn't have done it. Running around in the woods? Scavenging for food? Nope, not me...no survival skills whatsoever. Your friend, Sasha, was right. If it weren't for everyone here making sure I was safe, I'd have bit the dust a long time ago." Sam readjusted her position, moving her legs around until she was comfortable again and the feeling of Daryl's leg hair brushing against her skin gave her chills. "It's a good thing you're group is so strong. Wouldn't have made it far with a bunch of people like me dragging you down."

"You're strong in your own way. You'd have made it." Daryl's voice was full of conviction. Hell, he'd kept weaker people alive after the outbreak, surely Sam could have survived out there. Look how far Beth had come since the first day she had come in to his life back on the farm. Back then, she was a weak little girl who wanted to give up after losing a handful of people. By the time she had met her death, she was one of the strongest women he had ever met. People grow, they change and hopefully they do both for the better. "Shit, if I'd have been stuck with Beth the way she was in the beginning, we'd have both been walker bait. We was on our own and she pulled her weight. You gotta adapt now, and people do that for the most part. Evolve. You could if you had to."

“You were with Beth? Just the two of you?” Sam asked timidly, her voice spoken softly enough to cover up the nervous tremors in her voice. She scrapped her teeth over her bottom lip while fidgeting with the edge of the sheet. His fingers stilled in her hair and she could feel his breath hitch in his chest, but the proverbial can was open and worms were starting to crawl out everywhere and there was nothing she could do to shove them back in to the container. “Were you two together? You know, like a couple?”

“No! God, she was just a kid, Sam.” Daryl growled, instantly aware of his mistake. He had opened his mouth about his past, granted it wasn't the part of his life he was ashamed of, but still...it wasn't anything he wanted to discuss with Sam. It was in the past, he was done with those days. Reverting back to his old tactics of avoiding conversations he didn't want to have, Daryl brushed Sam away and sat up on the bed; eyes surveying his surroundings in search of the clothes she had peeled off his body when they had returned home last night. Spying his pants over by the dresser, next to his boots, Daryl shoved off the mattress and took two long strides to grab them. He didn't see his shirt and vaguely recalled a button or two popping off of it when Sam had tugged it off of him downstairs. Stepping in to the pants, he pulled them up and forced himself to turn back to Sam while shoving his feet in to his boots.

Daryl fully expected to see Sam's eyes full of judgment like everyone else's had been after finding out that he and Beth had been thrown together after the prison fell. Instead, what he found was something he had not been prepared for. Jealously. Envy. Daryl’s irritation faltered ever so slightly at the sight of the tears shimmering in her luminous eyes as Sam clutched the pristine white sheet to her naked chest, while trying her best to appear less upset than she actually was. His hands unclenched, uncurled from the fists that had been balled up in anger and he shoved them through his hair with a sigh of frustration. “We weren’t anything like that. Not like what you’re thinking.”

“Eighteen and blonde? Wouldn’t have been the first time.” The words were out of her mouth before her brain realized what was going on. Eyes wide, she gasped and covered her mouth with her hand, as though it was actually possible to cram the words back in to her mouth. Sam knew she had no right to be jealous of little Beth Greene, but damn it if she wasn’t. “Daryl, I’m sorry. That was out of line. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, you shouldn’t have. I went through a lot of shit with Beth. She was a friend, a good friend, and I don’t got many of those. You don’t know nothing about my life, not a damn thing about nothing.” Daryl’s eyes flashed, anger and heartache projected out to Sam and pierced her heart.

“How could I know anything about you? Anything at all about what you’ve been through, Daryl?” Sam shrieked in response. She came to her knees, kneeling on the disheveled bed with only that solitary sheet covering her body that was still unclothed from making love to Daryl that morning. Body shaking, the tears she had been desperately clinging to finally spilled over and splashed on to her cheeks. “You won’t talk to me! How can I know if you won’t tell me a damned thing about you? What you’ve gone through? Where you’ve been? I’m not a mind reader, Daryl!” The silence was heavy in the air as they glared at one another. Sam’s chin trembled as she tried to reign in the emotions swirling around inside her body. Sniffling, she took a shaky breath and lowered her voice to add, “I just want to know you again.”

Daryl’s heart melted at the tremble of sadness in Sam’s voice and the fresh wave of tears that cascaded down her cheeks. His anger abated, he crossed the room and lowered himself back down on to the mattress next to Sam and gathered her into his arms. “Don’t cry.” He croaked out, his voice gravelly with choked up emotion. Pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head, he held on tight as she sniffled against his chest. “You know I can’t stand it when you do that.”

“I know.” Sam’s voice was muffled as she buried herself in Daryl’s embrace. She had always loathed how easily she cried, but had never been able to stop the flow of tears once they started. Sniffling once more, she reluctantly pulled away from him and hated the flicker of hurt she caught in his eyes. Raising a hand, she swiped it across her eyes and cheeks in a vain attempt to wipe away the remaining tears. She chewed on the inside of her cheek as the silence between them continued to grow. All she wanted was the answers Daryl clearly refused to give her. “I’m sorry for starting all this. I want to know you again, like I used to.”

“You know me, Sam. You’ve always known me.” Cutting his eyes away, trying to hide from the sorrow in her gaze, Daryl recalled the nights where they had lain in bed, tangled in one another’s arms talking about everything and yet, nothing at all. Back then, once he had realized his love for her, he had willingly shared everything about his past with Sam, but that was before he had allowed his life to become what he had always tried so hard to avoid. His brother. His father. He was ashamed of the Dixon blood that coursed through his veins, the lineage that had proved to be nothing but one asshole after the other.

“I knew you, Daryl. Past tense.” Sam whispered, her heart in her throat as he desperately tried to avoid her gaze. Reaching out, she laid one hand on top of his and squeezed it reassuringly. “I want to know you now. You know everything about me and the only thing I know about you is that Merle died. And, Rick had to tell me that much. That’s it. How is that fair to me?”

“Life ain’t fair, Sam. Thought you’d know that by now.” His reply was bitter and he hated himself for it, but the shame in his heart ran deeper than the loathing he held for himself at that particular moment. “Just drop it, okay? There ain’t nothing you need to know. I was just some asshole following a bigger asshole around for years.” The night he had said the same thing to Beth rushed through his memory and he felt a sting of tears in his eyes at the loss that still plagued his heart since her death. His failure had led to the world losing one of the brightest beacons of hope he had ever met and he doubted he would ever recover from that loss.

Sam watched helplessly as Daryl pulled his hand out from underneath hers and scrambled off the bed. As he stalked across the room in the direction of the ladder, Sam tugged the sheet tighter around her nude body and tried to extract herself from the bed; ungracefully lurching to one side when the sheet got trapped beneath her knee as she tried to scoot off the mattress. “Daryl! Don’t go. I said I was sorry. I won’t bring it up again.” Her breath hitched in her chest and she blinked rapidly against the familiar prickle of tears present in her eyes yet again. She had one foot on the floor, the other still tangled in the bedding enough to keep her bound to the mattress as he neared the ladder. Trembling, her lower lip quivered as one lone tear fell from her eyes, she whispered to him and hated the pleading tone in her voice. “Please don’t leave me.”

The tone of her voice halted his retreat. Turning, Daryl faced Sam and felt his heart clench at the sight before him. Tousled honey colored hair, tear stained cheeks and wide eyes that shimmered with unshed emotion, she stood before him and clutched the sheet to her chest, but it failed to cover her nude frame from his gaze; the curve of her breasts and the gentle swell of her hips peeked around the soft material. Feeling like a colossal shit, Daryl removed the foot from the top rung of the ladder and crossed the room in just a couple strides to stand before Sam.

"Done said I wasn't leaving you this time. I just...I just needed to go for now." Daryl offered up the explanation in lieu of an apology and gathered Sam in to his arms. He pressed his lips against the top of her head as she wrapped her arms around his waist and held on tightly.

"You were running from me and my questions and you know it." Sam's words were muffled against his chest and the tears on her face moistened his bare chest. She felt his chest rise as he sighed and hated herself for badgering him until the only choice he had to avoid it was by leaving, but Sam didn't understand his need to not tell her about his life for the past twelve years. She knew plenty of things that he had done before her and during their marriage and couldn't figure out why he didn't want to talk to her now like he had done once before. "I'll stop asking. You don't want to talk to me like we used to and I'm going to have to accept that, I guess. We're not going to get anywhere if we're fighting all the time anyway."

"Thank you." Daryl murmured, his lips still pressed against Sam's hair. "I won't keep nothing from you now, not like I did before. Anything from here on out I ain't got a problem talking to you about, Sam. But back then? With Merle. Don't want to talk about that no more. That ain't who I am now." He felt Sam nod her head in agreement, before following the motion up with a sniffle and he wondered if she was still crying. He pressed another kiss to her forehead and pulled back enough to stare down in to her eyes; which were mostly tear free for the moment. "I'm not leaving you, but it's almost lunch and Jacey's gonna be home soon, right? I need to clear out."

"You just make sure to come back to me tonight. That's all I need." Sam eased up on to her tip toes and placed a kiss on to Daryl's lips and tasted the saltiness from her tears. Stepping away from Daryl's embrace, the sheet that had once been covering her nude figure fell to the ground and left her naked as the day she was born. Not missing the flare of heat in Daryl's eyes, she gracefully dipped down and retrieved the sheet to cover herself with and motioned for him to leave. "Calm your jets, mister. We don't have time for that!"

She chuckled at the look of disappointment on Daryl's face as he turned away and headed back to the ladder. As his he disappeared from sight, Sam started getting dressed for lunch and made a mental note to have Cassie procure another box of condoms from the supply store. At the rate they were going, she and Daryl were going to have to raid a fully stocked condom factory before long.


	110. Chapter 110

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the reviews on this weeks chapters so far!!! Only 30 more chapters to go and this story will be done. LOL

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

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**The Present: Sunday, April 22nd, 2012**  
_

 

A cursory glance out the back door confirmed there was no one loitering around behind Sam’s building and thus, no one around to see him sneak out of her apartment. Daryl clamored down the rickety metal stairs and wondered why Sam chose to use the back entrance and suffer through the stairs, which were a disaster waiting to happen, instead of simply using the front entrance. Slinking through the alleyway, Daryl turned the corner on to the main strip of town and came face to face with Cassie, who had a knowing smirk plastered on her face.

“What’s the hurry, Dixon?” Cassie asked, her raspy voice heavy with the trademark drawl of her Southern upbringing. “You know, if you’re trying to look inconspicuous, you might wanna slow it down some.”

Daryl opted to keep his mouth shut, knowing that she was right didn’t mean he wanted to admit that fact. Noticing the half burned cigarette in her hand, he nodded towards it and asked, “You got another one?”

Cassie reached around to her back pocket and procured a partially squished pack of cigarettes and handed it to Daryl, who shook one out and returned it to her while digging in his pocket for the lighter that lived there. “My supply is dwindling. Don’t have the hookup for smokes like I used to.” Cassie grimaced as she raised her hand to her mouth and took a drag of the cigarette. “Tyler always made sure to let me have first pick if they found smokes while out on a run. Highly doubt he’s going to do that anymore…probably time to quit anyway.”

“Yeah, keep telling myself the same thing.” Daryl said around a puff of smoke. Leaning against the brick wall, he rolled the butt of the cigarette between his thumb and forefinger, his brow furrowed as he thought about something Sam had mentioned that had been eating away at him with curiosity. Unfortunately, thanks to his tight lipped stance on his past, he didn’t feel it was fair to probe Sam with questions regarding her previous love affairs. Eyeballing Cassie, he decided to use the best source of information available to him, which would probably give him all the details that Sam wouldn’t feel comfortable talking about anyway. “Who’s Judah?”

Cassie coughed and exhaled the smoke she had just inhaled, clearly thrown off guard by Daryl’s question. “She told you about him?” Shaking her head, a scowl marred her beautiful features as she mimicked Daryl’s pose by leaning against the wrought iron column across from him. “Judah was the guy that discovered Sam. Saw her perform at the Bluebird when I dragged her ass up to Nashville for a vacation the summer after you guys broke up. What an asshat.”

“Summer after? Shit, she didn’t wait long, did she?” The bitter remark slipped out of his mouth and he cringed at the look Cassie pointed in his direction afterwards. “Sorry, just didn’t expect to hear it was that soon.”

“It wasn’t actually, which you’d know if you hadn’t interrupted me. I shouldn’t be telling you this anyway, it’s Sam’s story to tell…but, we both know she wouldn’t give you all the gory details you want to hear, right?” Cassie stubbed out the glowing ember of her cigarette and pocketed the butt to throw away later. Without waiting for a reply to her clearly rhetorical question, she continued, “He was the anti-Daryl, by the way. I think that’s what finally sealed the deal for him with Sam. Judah was rich, well dressed, a smooth talker and so fucking full of himself that it made me want to puke. He helped her get an agent, worked some connection of his to get her an apartment, basically catered to Sam’s every whim until he finally wore her down and got her in to bed. Took a while though, nearly a year actually. I think that was part of the fun for him…the hunt, the take down? Fucking prick. I mean, just the worst person ever.”

“They together long?” Daryl tried to not let on that jealousy was gnawing at him inside and casually lifted the cigarette back to his lips for another drag. “I mean, were they serious or something?”

Cassie scoffed and cursed with a shake of her head. “Not in the slightest. Total opposite, hence the asshat comment. Once he conquered the pretty new girl in town, Judah split. Never called, never talked to her again…even if he saw Sam at an event or something. To him, he’d gotten what he wanted and she no longer mattered anymore. Sam tried not to let on how much it hurt her, but I knew…I could tell it ripped her up inside.” She saw the flicker of jealousy in Daryl’s eyes and added, “She was upset because she’d had sex with him and got brushed aside, Daryl…not because she loved him and he broke her heart. That honor was always yours. It’s a good thing you’re getting a chance to fix that. She was trying to move on from you, but we both know she’s not the casual sex kind of girl.”

“Yeah, it is.” Daryl mumbled as he fidgeted with the cigarette and dropped his gaze to the ground, suddenly very interested in the brick pattern beneath his feet. While he had never in a million years thought he would have been given the chance to make things right with Sam, much less have her love again, he couldn’t shake the pessimistic voice in his head that kept whispering over and over how bad he was going to fuck it up again. And, as usual, that annoying voice sounded oddly like his brother.

“You don’t sound as happy about that as I would have thought you’d be, Dixon. What gives?” Cassie probed, kicking out to nudge the toe of his scuffed boot. “I saw the look in your eye when you saw Sam the first night y’all strolled in to town. I saw each and every hurt feeling that passed through those baby blues when she’d pull away from you those first few weeks. Most people wouldn’t have, but I did…so why’s your voice got that dull, lifeless tone to it?”

Daryl wanted to tell Cassie to leave it alone, that he didn’t want to talk about what was bothering him, but somehow, like many times before with her, he found himself spilling his guts to her. Cassie was just easy to talk to like that, she listened and only rarely made fun of him for what he had to say. “She got upset this morning, ended up in a fight. Can’t seem to get her to understand I don’t wanna talk about my past, what I was doing up until now, after leaving her back then. She’s like a damned dog with a bone about it.”

She didn’t have to ask Daryl why he didn’t want to talk about his past with Sam, Cassie was familiar with the look of shame that haunted his eyes. Their shame was different, no doubt, be in the end, it was all the same. Swallowing the lump that was suddenly in her throat, Cassie’s voice was husky with emotion when she finally spoke. “You know how Sam is, Daryl. She needs all the information. That’s just her…she’s tenacious. She just wants to know you again and feels that’s how to go about it. But, I get it, you don’t want to talk about it…no one likes to admit everything they’ve done wrong. Trust me.”

“Doubt you’ve got a clue. I’ve done things I can barely stomach thinking about now.” Daryl’s words were barely a whisper as he lifted a shaky hand to his mouth and polished off the cigarette, instantly wishing for another one. “She doesn’t need to know.” Because, if Sam ever did find out, she wouldn’t love him anymore…couldn’t love him anymore, at least in Daryl’s mind.

“Sam loves us in spite of our faults.” Cassie gave Daryl a watery smile and laughed softly as she wiped away the sudden tears clinging to her lower lashes. She distinctly recalled each and every time her best friend had come to her rescue, driving wherever was needed to pick her up from whatever one night stand she’d stumbled home with and not once asking a question or belittling her life choices. It had taken Cassie many years to see the error in her ways, but by then it was too late to repair the reputation she had created within the community and nothing could ever erase that from the memories of the people that still lived in Collins. Cassie took a step towards the alley way and motioned in the direction of Sam’s apartment. “I’m gonna go check on our girl. See if she’s ready for lunch. Before I go though, just think about telling her. It doesn’t have to be now, or even any time soon, but it might make you feel better to get it off your chest.”

Leaving Daryl leaning against the brick wall, Cassie retreated from the unexpected emotional talk and hot footed it towards Sam’s apartment. Running up the stairs, she barged in to the residence without bothering to knock and called out to Sam, who replied from her loft. “What’s taking you so long? You’d think you’d be starving after having sex all night and day.”

“Hush.” Sam blushed as she stepped on to the ladder and made her way downstairs. When her feet hit the wooden floor, she turned to Cassie, who had already made herself home in the plush armchair she favored while at Sam’s apartment. Smiling, she poked at Cassie’s bare knee and playfully chided her. “And you’re one to talk about having all the sex, ma’am. Did you work up an appropriate appetite last night with Deputy Grimes?”

“Um, actually we didn’t have sex.” Cassie admitted and chuckled at the sight of Sam slack jawed with amazement. Waving her hand nonchalantly, she continued, “Yeah, yeah, save the surprise for someone who didn’t already experience it last night. I was prepared for the having of the sex, but there was no sex to be had and I am strangely OK with it.”

Sam sank down on to the closest couch cushion to Cassie and leaned forward, putting her elbows on her knees as she studied her friend. This was brand new territory for Cassie, but she seemed to be handling it well enough. “So, you two what? Played cards? Did the hokey pokey? I need details.”

“We spooned.” A warm smile spread across Cassie’s face as she maneuvered around so that she was better suited for gossiping with Sam. “You know how much I like to, um…fork, but we just spooned. It was nice.”

“Snuggling. Huh.” Dumbfounded, Sam considered the news for a moment before realizing just how big last night had been for Rick and how unprepared he must have felt. “I think that’s great, Cass. I really do. He must like you a lot. I mean, if it was just a sex thing you’d think he would’ve done that by now, right?”

“You really think so?” Cassie asked hopefully and she flushed with embarrassment at the giddy hope that clung to her voice. The only other man she had ever been as enthralled with as she was with Rick, was Tyler and that had not only been one sided, but a total disaster to boot. She did not want to repeat that mistake again and doubted her heart could take it either. “He took off his wedding ring. That had to be something.”

“It was something, trust me. Taking off your wedding band, regardless of the reason, hurts your heart.” Sam replied with heartfelt knowledge that shone brightly in her eyes. “Rick’s one of those ‘one woman’ kind of guys. Old fashioned, I can tell. Taking off his ring, for any reason, was a big move for him…and, I think he did it for you.” Thinking back to the conversation she had with him just two days before, remembering the flash of sorrow in his eyes that was heavily threaded with guilt in reference to his relationship to Cassie and the fact that he was still wearing his wedding band, Sam nodded her head and added, “Actually, I know it was for you. Rick’s ready to move on and he wants it to be with you, Cass. Are you really ready for that? He’s the serious commitment kind of guy.”

“And, I’m not the serious commitment kind of girl.” Cassie’s reply was flat and dry. Sam’s comment wasn’t meant to be hurtful, but it was just another reminder of the past she longed to be free of and yet, would suffer the burden of her youthful choices until the end of days. “I think maybe I am that kind of girl. I really like him, Sam, like…a lot. He gives me the tingles.”

“Whoa, too much info. I do not need to know about the tingles Rick gives you.” Sam waved her hands at Cassie to get her to stop before any further information was divulged. While she loved her best friend dearly, and had listened to detailed descriptions of her sexual conquests on more than on occasion, she wouldn’t be able to look at Rick the same way with that knowledge.

“Not those kind of tingles. Geez.” Cassie chuckled and swatted at Sam’s leg, narrowly missing when her friend anticipated the move and dodged her hand. “I mean the feeling tingles. Rick Grimes gives me the feels. Big time.”

Pushing off the couch, Sam tackled Cassie in a bear hug that sent both of them sprawling backwards against the back of the overstuffed chair. Giggling, she couldn’t wipe the smile of happiness off her face as she snuggled against her lifelong best friend. “I think that’s great! You two are adorable with each other. It’s just the cutest thing ever. And, who knows…maybe I’ll finally get you hitched after all!”

“Hey, settle down. No one said anything about wedding bells!” Cassie shrieked with horror, but deep down in her gut, the thought of the notion wasn’t as horrible as it had once sounded. Upon making that realization, she had a feeling of happiness mixed with the feeling of being punched in the stomach, but it wasn’t the worst sensation she’d ever experienced. As Sam crawled off the chair and reached out to help her to her feet, Cassie wondered if what her friend had said was something that could actually happen or just another hope to be dashed in her life.


	111. Chapter 111

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_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The Present: Sunday, April 22nd, 2012**  
_

Rounding the corner on to the main walkway from the alley, Sam spied a group of carts parked a block down in front of the supply stores. She caught the eye of one of her brother’s longtime friends, Luke Jacobson, as he exited the store that held the clothing items and waved. Jogging across the street, she peered in to the utility trailer and let her eyes wander over the items tucked in to various boxes and containers and asked, “Glad to have y’all back! Safe trip? No problems?”

“Mostly. No major problems, thankfully. Hutch sprained his ankle, but other than that it was pretty easy, we were lucky.” Luke gestured towards the medical center to indicate that one of the team members, Gerald Hutcherson or ‘Hutch’, to let Sam know he was being taken care of. “We ended up over in Alabama, nearly to Birmingham, maybe about fifty miles or so south of it. Found a music store that hadn’t been ransacked too much, got some supplies for you.” He scanned over the items in front of him and shook his head. “Looks like all of it’s going to be in one of the other loads.”

“I’ll come by tomorrow and check on it, once everything gets sorted. Thanks for checking that store for me, Luke. I’m in dire need of guitar strings, for sure.” Sam gave Luke Garrison a bright smile and couldn’t help but remember him as the scrawny towheaded teenager that had graced the halls of their home when she was just a kid. Looking at him now, all hulking muscle and towering height, it was hard to imagine Luke as being weakling that spent most of his time playing video games indoors.

“Anything special for me in there, sugar?” Cassie drawled as she flashed a bright smile and flipped her dark hair over her shoulder. She didn’t miss Sam’s effort to contain a giggle at her flirting with Luke in hopes that he would miraculously produce a pack of cigarettes and hand them to her under the cart, so to speak, before he found out that she was persona non grata with his dear friend, Tyler.

“I’m sure there’s something in here for you.” Luke winked and leaned over the wooden slatted railing of the trailer to dig inside a smaller box tucked securely in the corner. Straightening, he tossed a pack of menthol cigarettes to Cassie with a smile. “Don’t say I never did anything for you. And, I never saw you get those out of the cart.”

“I know the rules and am prepared to take the fall for missing supplies all by my lonesome.” Cassie shoved the pack in her back pocket and blew a kiss to Luke before grabbing Sam around the bicep and tugging her in the direction of the town hall. “Glad y’all made it home!” She called out over her shoulder before leaving.

“The whole word has collapsed, yet some things never change.” Sam shook her head and laughed good-naturedly once they were well enough away from Luke that he couldn’t hear the conversation. “Cassie Delaney still flirts to get free stuff.”

“Damn straight I do. Got to use whatever assets I have at my disposal while I still can.” Cassie smirked as she gestured towards her well-endowed breasts that were amazingly well contained in the slinky tank top she was wearing that day. “Plus, once Luke finds out about all the drama with Tyler, I may never get cigarettes again.”

“Probably for the best. Those things are going to kill you one day.” Sam pointed out as she held the door open for Cassie and motioned for her to enter first. “Of course, everything is going to kill you at some point, so why not smoke? Eh, do what you want, I guess.”

“Someone’s mood has taken a plunge for the worse. What’s with the morose?” Cassie paused, her hand on the cool metal handle of the auditorium. Sam’s sunny disposition that had been present only moments before had vanished quickly and was replaced with a sour expression on her face.

“One supply group returns, another has to go out. Tyler’s team is up next…since the third team is still out and the fourth team just got back a couple weeks ago.” Sam sighed and felt her shoulders slump at the thought of her brother going back out in to the dangerous world that lay just beyond the city limits. “I wish he’d stop going out and let one of the younger guys take over. He’s forty years old, for goodness sakes. He and Luke both should stop doing runs, find some women to marry and pop out some kids or something.”

“It’s what he wants to do, Sam. And, Tyler isn’t anywhere close to wanting to settle down. Trust me. The thought of being married and having kids terrifies him.” Cassie dropped her hand from the handle and crossed her arms over her chest. “I mean, come on…we were together-ish for nearly ten years and commitment was never on his mind. He’s an eternal bachelor, just like Luke.”

As if speaking his name had summoned him to their location, Tyler pushed his way out of the next set of doors and nearly barreled in to Sam while talking over his back to someone that was on his heels. “Dang, watch where you’re going, Tyler. Small people standing around, you know?” Sam’s eyes caught sight of the person standing behind her brother as her gaze lifted up to Tyler’s. “Hey, Ryan, where y’all off to in such a hurry?”

“Luke’s group just got back. We’re heading out in the morning, gotta prepare.” Tyler butted in and answered before Ryan had a chance. His excitement rolled off his body and colored his words and Sam visibly cringed at just how right Cassie had been about her brother. “We head out at oh-five hundred.”

“But y’all just got back, Ty.” Sam cut her eyes to Ryan and frowned. “And you, you’re barely healed from the last one. You can’t go back out there this time.” Cassie waved to Sam, catching her attention enough to point out that she was going in to the dining hall and Sam nodded her head to let her know she wouldn’t be far behind her. “What’s the hurry?”

“Sam, we’ve been back for over a month. That’s the longest I’ve been around since we started these runs.” Tyler pointed out as he released his hold on his sister and took a step backwards. “And, Ryan’s fine. Doc’s just got to give him the all clear and we’re out of here in the morning. Gonna head north this time, that guy Eugene, the one with the impressive mullet, said there’s a factory up past Atlanta a bit that manufactured solar equipment. We’re gonna see if it’s been hit yet.”

“Atlanta?” Sam whispered, her words choked with fear. She’d heard nightmarish stories from some of the members in Daryl’s group about how horrible that area was. “It’s too dangerous up there, Ty. You guys can’t go there.”

“We’ll be fine. Eugene’s friends, the big redheaded one and his chick are coming with us, too. Never had a girl on my team, but they swear she’s tough. Hardest part will be keeping mullet safe on the trip, he don’t look too strong. We’re going to arc around Atlanta, stay in the suburbs and head up…won’t actually be going through the city.” Tyler tried his best to comfort his little sister’s fears, but could tell by the haunted look in her eyes that she wasn’t buying the story he was selling. “We’ll be back before you know it.”

“You’d better be.” Sam flung her arms around Tyler’s thick body and squeezed him tightly. When she released her hold on him, she glared at Ryan and added, “You’d better both come home. Safely, this time.”

“Ryan, I’m gonna head over and help unload the carts.” Tyler slipped past Sam, sensing the need for the two of them to talk before Ryan left, and disappeared out the door before anyone could object to his departure.

“Why are you going now, Ryan? You just got back and you’re hurt, I can tell how much it still hurts just by looking at you.” Sam stared up at Ryan with concern in her eyes. She didn’t like the idea of him trudging through the woods and suburbs overrun with the walking dead, fighting for his life when he wasn’t in tip top shape. “Can’t you sit it out this time?”

“It’s my team, Sam. I can’t leave them shorthanded. I’ll be fine.” Ryan’s words were flat, almost like he didn’t believe his own lie. When he had found out one of the other teams had returned that morning, he had been instantly relieved knowing that his team was up for the next rotation and therefore, he had an excuse to escape Collins and being around Sam and Daryl. As strong as he was physically, emotionally he was still bruised and battered. Knowing that the two of them were back together again was eating him up inside and he needed to get away for a while to hopefully rid himself of the love he carried in his heart for Sam. Avoiding her gaze, he said, “I need away from here for a while, Sam. You can’t ask me to stay around and watch the two of you together.”

Sam released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “It’s selfish, I know it is, but I don’t care. I don’t want you out there. Just because we’re not together doesn’t mean I just stopped caring about you, I want you safe.” She reached out a hand to Ryan to hold his hand and flinched when he jerked away from her. As much as she had hoped that they could work past this hiccup in the road of their relationship together, she was beginning to think that having a friendship with each other was just a dream. “I’m sorry, Ryan. I really am. If I’d have thought for a second any of this would happen, I never would have gotten involved with you. I never wanted to hurt you.”

“Seems you’re always leaving me for a Dixon.” Ryan pointed out, not hiding the hurt in his dark brown eyes as he focused in on Sam with a bitter smile. “First Jacey and now Daryl.” Back in 2005 when he had finally won her heart, his world had grown brighter and life had finally seemed like it was going in the right direction for once, but a little over a year later, Sam had been left with Jacey Dixon in her care and she had walked away from their relationship without a second thought. Years later, he had finally gotten her back, only to lose her the moment her ex-husband sauntered back in to town. If he really faced the facts, Ryan would realize that fate had never planned for him to be with Sam Collins, no matter how much he wanted her to be. “Look, I need to go. We’ve got a lot to do before tomorrow. I’ll make sure to get Tyler back to you safe and sound.”

“You, too, Ryan. You come back safe, too.” Sam’s words echoed in the hallway as he pushed open the metal door with enough force to cause it to slam shut loudly. Feeling as though she had been punched in the chest, Sam sighed and headed in to the auditorium to eat the lunch she no longer had an appetite for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If my generous spirit lasts through this shift manning 911 and radios I will try to post an extra chapter in the morning before I leave work. :) All depends on if I get it edited in time. Would you guys like that?


	112. Chapter 112

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, work didn't kill my mood and thus, my generous spirit has remained intact shockingly. Usually I am in a foul mood by the time my 12 hour shift is over, but the cold weather has kept the fights and robberies to a minimum tonight. Yay! So, you guys get an extra chapter this week. Figure it makes up for Daryl not being in either of them, maybe? Probably not, I mean...it's Daryl. We all want the D. Teehee This chapter is between Will Dixon, Daryl and Merle's no count father, and the beginnings of how Jacey ended up with Sam. Hope you all like it! 
> 
> I am off until Sunday night, so I will post the next chapter of this story and, for those of you who are reading Running Wild, I will update that one, too. Heading home to work on Running Wild here shortly. I finished up chapter 43 over the weekend and figure on needing maybe another 3-5 before it's finished. Fingers crossed I can hammer it out and finish it up soon.
> 
> Have a great rest of the week and weekend! My bestie (DeadFan8) is visiting for the rest of the week, so I forsee lots of TWD and Outlander with copious amounts of wine and disgustingly unhealthy foods. L8Rs.

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_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**The Past: Wednesday, March 8th, 2006**  
_

The sharp sound of the elderly engine backfiring caused Will Dixon to wince and glance over his shoulder at the baby that was buckled into an old car seat he had located at a neighboring thrift store before hightailing it out of town. Sighing with relief that the child was still sleeping peacefully, apparently having inherited his genes in the fact that she could damn near sleep through any sort of commotion, he crawled out of the car and slammed the door and headed up the cracked pavement towards the automotive shop without bothering to take the child with him.

Will pushed open the glass door that was in dire need of a thorough cleaning, the tinkling sound of a bell rang loudly above his head announcing his arrival to the nonexistent employee. Impatient, his jaw was tense and his gaze was hard as he waited for whomever was working in the garage to come out and assist him. With his arms crossed over his chest, he glared at the door that undoubtedly led out to the work bay and didn’t bother considering that his presence wasn’t allowed in the back as he strolled across the dingy linoleum and pushed open the dark green swinging door. Scanning the nearly empty garage, he spotted the top of someone’s work boot covered feet poking out from beneath a white sedan and called out to them, “Hey, can I get some help?”

“Sorry, sir! I didn’t hear you come in. Hearing ain’t what it used to be.” The elderly man that was way past the age of retirement slid out from beneath the car, all the while huffing and puffing from exertion, and stood up to face Will Dixon. “Name’s Swain, what can I do you for?”

“Looking for my son. Ain’t seen him in years, but heard he worked here at some point. Daryl Dixon?” Will ignored the extended hand and stared hard at the old man in front of him with distaste. The man was on the verge of passing out from simply trying to stand up, he could only imagine what sort of shoddy work he passed off around the garage being in that shape.

“Daryl? Hell, that boy ain’t worked for me in years.” Swain laughed at the thought of the Dixon boy he’d hired years ago who’d had nothing to offer in the way of a reference, but had been one of the best mechanics he had ever laid his eyes on. “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you on that one. That boy lit out of here long time ago.”

“Well, hell.” Will scrubbed a hand over his weather worn face, the rough skin of his palms scratched loudly against the days old scruff on his cheeks. He glanced over his shoulder out the small window on the garage doors to where his car sat with that baby he’d been left with against his own will and wondered what in the hell he was going to do about her now. “This was the last line I had on him. His brother had mentioned this place last time I talked to him, been a while though.”

“You know, you might wanna check down the street at the sporting goods store. One of the Collins’s may be able to help you out.” Swain lumbered over to the garage door and opened it up, the metal groaned and popped as it rolled upwards. Like himself, the garage was old and in need of retirement as well, but he just wasn’t ready to give her up just yet. Pointing down the road, he said, “Collins Hunting and Sporting Goods. If they can’t help you can’t no one ‘round here tell you where that boy is.”

Mumbling his thanks, Will strode out of the dank garage like a man on a mission and slammed the car door loudly after crawling in to the rust covered sedan he’d procured for the excursion. Once again, the slumbering child in the backseat barely stirred. Tearing down the street, Will pulled in to the closest spot available and exited the car, leaving the child behind once more, and jogged up to the store with the Collins name etched across the top in dark blue letters. Pushing his way inside the store, paying no attention to the elderly man that was about to exit and certainly not offering to hold open the door for him to leave, Will marched over to the counter and stared at the scrawny teenaged boy operating the register until he finished up the current sale.

“Afternoon, sir. What can I help you with today?” Hunter Crawley asked politely before fully turning around to face the next customer. Seeing the man before him, the young man visibly flinched at the intense expression on the man’s hardened face and tried his best to plaster on the smile required of a customer service representative.

“Heard someone here might be able to tell me where Daryl Dixon is?” Will barked, his patience for the task at hand had long since worn out and his body was starting to sober up from the whiskey he’d had for breakfast and was begging for more to function.

“D-Daryl? I don’t know anyone by that name, sir.” Hunter stuttered, a habit that he had suffered through since childhood whenever he felt under pressure. Realizing that the response wasn’t what the man wanted to hear, he added, “But if someone here was supposed to know him, then I’d check over at Marie’s. The diner a couple blocks over? Sam was heading over there to eat lunch a bit ago, she might know.”

“Sam, you say? What’s he look like?” Will grunted in response, only paying attention to every other word out of the boy. He was tired of having to track down someone in this godforsaken town that might have known his son and where he could possibly locate him.

“She, sir. Samantha Collins.” Hunter smiled and jerked a thumb towards the wall behind him that was littered with pictures of Sam throughout the years, from when she was barely knee high and perched on the piano bench to one of her concerts the previous year.

“Who’s she? Some sort of celebrity or something?” He asked as his eyes scanned across the pictures he had scarcely noticed upon entering the store. His dark blue gaze lingered on one of the latest pictures, took in the woman’s gentle curves and beautiful face and wondered how in the hell someone like that would know his good for nothing son.

“She is to us. Hometown celebrity, I guess. Sam usually lives up in Nashville, but her tour ended a few months ago and she’s been back in town visiting her family.” Hunter wondered if he should be telling this man all this information about Sam, but figured he couldn’t take it back now. Glancing over his shoulder at the pictures behind him, Hunter’s eyes landed on a framed image that showed Sam, but had clearly been cut to remove the other person in the photo with her and that’s when he realized why the name Dixon seemed so familiar. “Hey, Sam’s ex-husband’s last name was Dixon, or at least I think it was. You think that might be your son?”

“My son was married to her?” The disbelief in his voice reflected what he was feeling inside. How in the hell had his no good, lowlife son managed to snag a fine piece of woman like that? One that clearly wasn’t hurting for money neither. A sly smile spread across Will’s features, reminding the clerk of an evil coyote hunting a road runner and sent chills down his spine. “Thanks for your time, son.”

Without bothering to wait for a reply from the clerk, Will strode out of the building and crawled back in to the car. The second the door slammed shut, the car was filled with the incessant cries of a baby that had been woken up from its nap and he leaned forward to put his head on the steering wheel to try to calm his nerves before he snapped on the wailing baby in the backseat. It wasn’t like he could pawn it off on someone if it was covered in bruises, they’d ask too many questions….questions he couldn’t afford to answer. Turning around, he glared at the child and was pleased when it stared back at him with wide blue eyes and calmed its cries to sniffling hiccups.

Within the hour, Will Dixon had the address of one Samantha Collins scrawled on a crumbled receipt he had found shoved in to the partially filled ashtray. He was thankful that the phone booth he had managed to locate had a phone book with almost all of its pages dangling from a plastic coated metal cord beneath the grimy telephone. After scrolling through the book, he had located a residence of James Collins that had a second listing for Samantha. Small towns were so trusting and therefore, easy pickings for someone like Will Dixon.

After getting directions for the general area from the clerk at the gas station, not giving away exactly where he needed to go so no one alerted the Collins family, Will nosed the car through the town until he came to the neighborhood that was clearly the affluent section of Collins. Scanning the numbers on the mailboxes, he found the one he needed and pulled up to the curb and took in the surroundings for a moment before crawling out of the car. Using all the weapons he had at his disposal, he snatched the child out of the backseat and headed up the sidewalk.

Hearing the doorbell chime through the house, Sam put down the magazine she was reading in the kitchen while her mother worked on making a casserole for one of the ladies in her book club that had recently had surgery and headed towards the foyer. Opening the front door, she was taken aback by the stranger on the porch and asked, “Can I help you?”

“Yeah, looking for Sam Collins? You her?” Will snapped and instantly regretted the harshness in his response. His body was aching for another drink, it had been too long since his last one and if he didn’t get something soon things would grow infinitely worse for him. Forcing a smile on to his face, he tried again, “I’m sorry for that. Long ride with the little one. Name’s Will Dixon, I’m looking for my son, Daryl. Heard someone here might be able to help me?”

Sam felt like someone had just ran up and punched her in the stomach. She pressed a hand to her chest, while the other clutched the edge of the door with a death grip. Finding her voice, she asked, “Could I see some ID, please?” While some might consider her question rude, she’d had safety concerns drilled in to her from Bo and her father when she had moved away to Nashville and one of those was to always ask for ID if you didn’t know the person at your door. Glancing down at the ratty leather wallet in her shaking hand, she peered at the license behind the cracked plastic window and saw the Dixon name printed there beside a faded picture of the man in front of her. Handing it back, she held open the door and waved him inside. “Sorry about that, my brother is a police officer and he’d have my hide if I just let you in without checking.”

“It’s no problem. People can’t be too safe these days.” Will replied, coming up with an answer he assumed she would want to hear. He followed the young woman in to a neighboring room and appreciated the tight little ass that sashayed in front of him. It was all he could do not to reach out and grab it. He’d always had a fondness for a nice ass on a woman and the one in front of him at the moment was one of the finest he’d seen in a long time.

“Have a seat. Can I get you something to drink? Does your baby need anything?” Sam asked, her southern upbringing demanding that she keep her manners even in the presence of the man that had left such horrible scars on the back of the man she loved more than life itself. Her eyes locked on to the child in his arms, noticed the paleness of the cheeks that should be rosy red and full of life on a baby and wanted to chastise him for not having her dressed in something warmer than a onesie. Sure, it was Georgia, but it was only the first of March and still plenty cold outside. Mr. Dixon declined the offer for a refreshment and swore the child in his arms was fine, that all she did was sleep anyway. “Is she your granddaughter?”

“No, ma’am. Ain’t got any grandchildren that I know of yet. You and Daryl don’t have none, do you?” Will asked hopefully and wondered if he could get more money out of the woman if had children with his son, a stronger connection with Daryl might put himself in better graces with her.

“Sorry, but no, we didn’t have any children.” Sam’s response was small, barely a whisper as she eyeballed the sleeping baby not three feet away from her. Her arms itched to hold the child, to sniff the top of her baby scented head and feel that warm little body clutched tight to her chest. Her body still craved the child that had been taken away from her and her heart ached to finally have one of her own, but unfortunately the man she wanted to have babies with had long since left her. Tearing her gaze from the child, she looked back at Daryl’s father and saw, for the first time, that his eyes mirrored his son’s. Of course, everything else screamed Merle Dixon and sent a wave of disgust through her body. “Um, I have to apologize, Mr. Dixon, but Daryl and I separated nearly six years ago. I haven’t heard from him since then.”

“I hate to hear that. I, uh, well…I just found out I had this kid. Her mother tore in to town after not seeing her in damned near two years and said it was mine, you know? What was I supposed to do? I didn’t have no money, barely got a job. Anyway, I let her move in, but she skipped out about a week ago. Didn’t leave no note or nothing.” Will dipped his head to look at the child, pretending to actually give a damn about the bundle of flesh in his arms. “I ain’t got the best parenting skills and was hoping to find Daryl, see if he could help out some.”

“Yes, well, I am aware of your parenting skills.” Sam replied with a tone full of coldness and scorn. No matter what her mother had instilled in regards to manners, the sight of Daryl’s scarred back kept popping up in her mind and it was making her sick to sit across from the man that had caused them. “I’ve seen plenty regarding your type of parenting.”

“I’d hoped maybe you maybe didn’t know ‘bout that, maybe he’d told you something else had happened to him. But, I’m guessing Daryl told you plenty ‘bout what happened. I can’t say I’m proud of what I done to that boy. I had a tough time with alcohol back then, his mother was gone and I didn’t have no one to help me out. It wasn’t right, but it happened.” Will stamped down the anger rising inside his chest. How dare the hoity-toity bitch in front of him chastise him for the way he raised his son? Daryl was his damn flesh and blood and if he wanted to whip him with a belt from time to time, well that was his right. But, one look in to Sam’s eyes and he could tell that she wasn’t going to help him out with the kid if he didn’t offer some time of repentance for his actions. “I sure could use some help now, too. Ain’t much for begging, was raised not to, but I don’t know squat ‘bout raising no girl. Don’t got no job or a place to stay, but I don’t feel right sticking her in foster care, you know?”

Sam thought about his words for a moment and hated the idea that Daryl’s father might do the same things to that little girl that he had done to Daryl and Merle as kids. Taking a deep breath, her mind was made up pretty quickly after visualizing crisscrossed red scars marring the ivory skin of the innocent child in his hands. “I can help you out, Mr. Dixon. My family has some pull in town. If you don’t mind staying here in Collins, that is? I can get you a place to rent, help you find some work.”

It wasn’t exactly what he wanted, but Will didn’t figure the woman would just agree to take the child and fork over a bunch of money for it. Smiling, he remembered to tone down the grin because he’d been told it looked like a carnivore tracking down a fluffy bunny at times and nodded to Sam’s offer. “Thank you, Miss Collins. I appreciate the help. Anything you can offer.”

Now all he had to do was bide his time until Sam felt comfortable enough to care for the kid and maybe write him a fat check. Once that day came, Will Dixon would be halfway across Alabama before anyone realized he had skipped town and left behind his daughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, did I portray the slimy Will Dixon to your expectations?


	113. Chapter 113

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the reviews on the chapters last week! Since the chapter with Will Dixon was the last one we'll spend in the past, I won't bother with marking the chapters with a Past/Present notation from here on out. All Present from now on. 

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

Last week, Daryl and Cassie had a chat about Sam's relationship with Judah, not that it could really be called anything as such. A supply group returned and so Bo and Ryan are preparing to head out again. And, you guys got to meet the uber wonderful (sarcasm notation) Will Dixon and hear about how he and Sam ended up crossing paths, which eventually led to Jacey living with her.

 

 

_**Sunday, April 22nd, 2012** _

 

Leaving her worrisome thoughts in the foyer, Sam pulled open the door and walked in to the auditorium. Lunch was in full swing and, like every Sunday, it was bustling with activity. On most days, it was rare for each and every member of the small town to be present during meal times, but on Sundays there was an unwritten rule that everyone showed up at least to lunch and dinner. Sam let the door swing shut behind her and scanned through the crowd in search of Jacey, whom she had barely seen since Friday. Her gaze fell on the table shared by her large family, but she didn’t see the blonde curls she was searching for. Instead, Sam found Jacey sitting a few tables down with her back to the entrance, tucked in between Cassie and Daryl.

Sam headed to the buffet line and was grateful she wasn’t very hungry since most of the food had already been picked over. She was later to lunch than she had realized. Grabbing a plate, she carefully selected a slice of meat and added a scoopful of roasted vegetables and one of the last two rolls in the basket. After adding a glass of tepid water to her hands, she made her way towards the table where Jacey was sitting, but froze in place when she caught sight of Sasha not three seats away from the spot she had planned on occupying.

While she was no longer an emotional mess from the incident the night before, Sam wasn’t exactly thrilled at the prospect of sharing a meal with the woman that had poked at her verbally until the carefully woven threads that held her together had torn apart. Thinking back to how easily she had fallen apart in front of everyone was embarrassing and she didn’t want to risk the chance that it could happen again. Not to mention, Carol was seated near Rick and the cold stares she had been flashing towards Sam lately didn’t make her feel all warm and cozy. Sam couldn’t help but wonder if the attitude she felt from Carol had to do with Daryl or if the woman just didn’t like her. Sam hoped it was the latter, because she didn’t want to even consider the notion that Carol and Daryl had been involved at some point.

As if he sensed her hesitation, Daryl looked up from the conversation he was having with Jacey. A few moments passed and his brow furrowed when he realized that Sam was just standing there. Sam cocked her eyebrow and, as discretely as possible, tried to nod her head in the direction of Sasha as an explanation of her hesitation. Daryl appeared to only have a second of confusion, before he turned his head in the direction she pointed and realized what was holding Sam up. Turning back to Sam, he frowned and slid down in his seat low enough to put his foot on the chair across the table from him and push it out for her. Jutting his chin towards the seat, he pointedly told Sam with his eyes to shut up and sit down. Sighing, Sam reluctantly obeyed and slowly took the few remaining steps to the table and dropped down in to her assigned chair.

“What’s wrong, Jace?” Sam asked worriedly when she saw the crocodile tears that seemed to have suddenly formed in the little girl’s eyes. “Honey, what’s with the tears?”

“Your face.” Jacey muttered with a quivering chin. Her tear-filled eyes were glued to the bruises on Sam’s face. “Aunt Krista said you got hurt, but she didn’t say it was that bad.”

“Oh, sweetie! It’s not that bad, I promise. Come here!” Sam scooted back in her chair enough to allow for Jacey to crawl up in her lap. Hugging her daughter tight, Sam pressed a kiss to her forehead and smoothed a hand over her unruly curls. “I’d already forgotten about the bruises.”

Jacey pulled back enough to inspect Sam’s face and scrunched up her nose while her eyes took in each and every bruise and bump. “How’d it happen? Aunt Krista wouldn’t tell me anything.”

“I very stupidly tried to break up a fight.” Sam lifted a hand to the bruises on the side of her face and tenderly inspected the marred skin. She hadn’t bothered to look in the mirror before leaving the apartment and wondered what the injury looked like now. She was glad that Krista hadn’t given Jacey all the gory details about what had happened, but Sam wished that she had at least explained the extent of the injuries. “Lesson learned, when you’re smaller than everyone, don’t try to step in and break up a fight. I promise I’m fine though, kiddo. Just a little bruising, that’s it.”

“Ok, if you say so.” Jacey accepted what Sam was saying and slid from her lap to return to the seat across the table next to Daryl. “Who was fighting? Don’t they know that’s not nice?”

“Who it was doesn’t matter.” Sam replied quickly, not wanting to sully the opinion of Jacey’s brother and uncle by giving up their names as the parties involved. “And, they’re old enough to know that what they did wasn’t nice. I’m sure they’re sorry for what they did.”

Jacey shoved a carrot in to her mouth and chewed on it while surveying the tables around her. Within a minute, her gaze landed on Tyler, who had just come back into the auditorium and was quickly walking towards Bo, no doubt with a question regarding the scavenging trip on the tip of his tongue. She paid attention to his eye that was still partially swollen and the scabbed over gash on his eyebrow. Jacey turned her attention back to her brother and chewed on her lip as she considered exactly what had caused the split on his lower lip.

Sam took notice of the look on Jacey's face and cringed as the kid put two and two together. Jacey was sharp, there was no doubt about it. She opened her mouth to intervene before Jacey announced her findings to the table, and Daryl in particular, but was too late.

"Daryl? Did you hit my Uncle Tyler or did he hit you first?" Jacey asked, narrowing her blue eyes and focusing them directly on her brother. Unprepared for the question, Daryl choked on the piece of meat he had just taken a bite of and floundered at how to answer his sister. Thankfully, Sam stepped in and saved him for the moment.

"Your Uncle Tyler did something stupid, without bothering to think about how it was going to affect someone else and Daryl had to step in." Sam smiled gently at the gracious look Daryl cast in her direction. "Remember how we talked about thinking about your actions before just doing them? How they might hurt someone else's feelings? Tyler didn't do that, he ended up hurting Cassie's feelings and Daryl had to step in and try to fix things."

"Oh. Okay." Jacey accepted the answer with all the trust that came with childhood innocence. She didn't question what exactly Tyler had done that was bad enough to resort to getting into a fight, she just took the answer that Sam gave her and moved forward. Cutting a glance at her brother, she did take a second between bites to say, "I'm glad you were there to help Cassie. Tyler can be a meanie sometimes."

"Yeah, that's one way to put it." Daryl replied while glancing towards Tyler, who had finished up his conversation with Bo and was heading back out the door. He was glad that Sam's hotheaded brother was going to be gone for a while. Things around town were stressful enough without having to deal with him. Plus, Daryl figured not having Cassie's ex skulking around would help things in the romance department with Rick and their fledgling relationship.

Daryl polished off the last bite off his plate and leaned back in his chair. Arms crossed over his chest, Daryl turned his attention back to Sam, who seemed to be lost in thought while she nibbled on a roll. Seeing her deal with Jacey's questions so easily confirmed what he had originally thought about his sister being left in the care of his estranged wife. There wasn't anyone else in the world he thought was suitable enough to raise the child his father walked away from. Daryl shuddered at the thought of the life Jacey would have had if Will Dixon hadn't abandoned her in Collins.

Sensing his eye's on her, Sam peered at Daryl over her roll and asked, "What's with the stare?" Her voice was low enough that the majority of the table hadn't heard her question, but she still felt self-conscious about them hearing Daryl's response.

"Nothing." Daryl mumbled, lifting a shoulder to go along with his nonchalant answer. Sam cocked her eyebrow at him and pinned him with a stare that plain as day said she didn't believe him. Daryl leaned forward and studied Sam's face before giving the real answer. "Just thinking how well you handled that with Jacey. Always knew you'd be a good mom, is all."

"Oh, I...um, thank you." Sam stuttered and blushed, she hadn't expected that compliment to be Daryl's response. Dropping her eyes, she avoided Daryl's stare and concentrated on the morsels that remained on her plate. A few moments of awkward silence surrounded them, the rest of the group was either oblivious to what was going on at the end of the table or was doing a bang up job at pretending to ignore Daryl and Sam. Thankfully, the moment was broken and Sam was rescued by Clay, who startled her when he tapped on her shoulder. "Hey, Clay. What's up?"

"I just found out Ryan's group is heading out tomorrow. Um, he was going to work with me some this week...still trying to get that dreaded F chord figured out. I was wondering if maybe you might have some time to help me?" Clay shuffled from one foot to the other and his cheeks flushed with the nervousness that plagued him whenever he was in the presence of Sam. "I mean, if you have some time one day? I understand if you can't, if you're busy and all."

"I'm not busy, Clay, and I'd be happy to help. That is a beast of a chord. I had a hard time with it, too." Sam reassured him, politely leaving out the fact that she had mastered the chord only a year after she had started playing the guitar at the ripe old age of eleven. "How about Tuesday night after dinner? Jacey will be with Daryl, so I’ll have free time then."

"Sounds great. Thank you! Um, I guess I'll see you then." Clay smiled brightly, which sufficiently added another layer of rosy red blush to his already inflamed cheeks. He gave an awkward wave and nearly tripped over his feet when he turned to leave; darting back to his table as though it was a lifeboat that would protect him from his crush.

"Kid's got a hell of a crush on you." Daryl pointed out, and tried his best to sound cool with the fact despite having his jaw clenched together with jealousy. Back when he and Sam had first been together, it had taken every ounce of self-control not to pummel each and every guy that flirted with her or asked for her phone number and there had been a lot of them. Glancing over Sam's shoulder to where Clay was sitting, still thoroughly painted with a nervous flush, Daryl narrowed his eyes and glared at the kid. "You spend much time alone with him?"

"Not really. He fills in with the band some, so he comes to practice as much as he can. Mostly he works with Ryan, but I help out here and there. He's a pretty talented song writer, too, but has trouble putting it to music. That's normally where I come in" Sam picked up her glass of water and took a big drink, all the while staring at Daryl over the rim. After she had polished off the remaining water, she sat the glass down and shook her head at Daryl. "Would you stop glowering at him? You're probably scaring poor Clay."

Daryl pulled his gaze away from Clay, who had just noticed him staring and was currently choking on a sip of water, and turned his attention back to Sam. He had his mouth open, about to continue with the conversation regarding the young man's crush on his wife, when he heard Carol's voice.

"We haven't spent much time together, Sam, so forgive me for my ignorance, but do you do anything else around town other than teach music?" Carol's face showed nothing but innocent curiosity, but her voice fell short of the task. Anyone who was familiar with the present version of Carol, knew that the softly spoken question and gentle smile was nothing short of forced and demeaning.

"During the school year, no." Sam shook her head and glanced out of the corner of her eye at Daryl before continuing, and took notice of the pointed glare he was sending Carol's way. She was confused by the intensity in his stare, but moved forward with her explanation, instead of asking him about it. "When summer gets here and the kids are out, I teach swimming lessons down at the lake. I still teach music then, too. It's a good way to keep the kids occupied when they aren't doing their chores."

"I guess I just don't get it, not being musically inclined myself." Carol's lips turned up in what was likely supposed to be a warm smile, but came off as condescending, which was what she felt instead of the curiosity she portrayed. "Seems like there's plenty of other things that need done around town, instead of playing around with a guitar or banging on a drum."

"Well, like I said, the kids have chores during the summer, so it's not like they're goofing off the whole time." Sam's eyes darkened as she stared down the table to Carol, suddenly feeling like she was being put down for teaching the children, instead of performing another task in the town. "And, music is important, you know? Throughout history, every culture has had their own forms of music; used for many different reasons, celebration, various rituals, healing...among others. It brings people together, evokes memories with a single song, and marks important events in our lives. It's pretty important. In fact, music uses the entire brain. Did you know that? Very few things we humans do use our entire brain. We work our bodies to keep in shape, right? Why not do the same for our brains?" Sam swallowed and felt a spark of satisfaction when Carol failed to have a comeback to her remarks. "The world is a pretty crappy place these days. Why not have something that can make us happy? Even if it's just for a little while?"

"All valid points." Cassie chimed in, cutting an eye towards Carol, who tried to hide the fact she rolled her eyes at Sam's explanation, but failed. Glancing back at Sam, she smiled and added, "Plus, no one wants Sam in the kitchen. We would all like to stay alive."

"One little case of food poisoning and you're never going to let me forget it." Sam grumbled and frowned at her best friend. The sound of Daryl chuckling had her redirecting her glare at him. "What's so funny?"

"Last damn place you need to be is the kitchen. You burn toast." One corner of Daryl's mouth lifted in a half smile. His hand itched to reach out and take hold of hers, to stroke the pad of his finger over soft skin on the back of Sam's hand. In an attempt to keep from touching her and spilling the secret she clung to tightly, he leaned back in his chair and added, "Think the whole town's better off with you sticking to your guitar."

"If I was your mother, I'd probably be kicking myself for not teaching you more useful skills." Carol's voice flittered down to their end of the table and made Sam's teeth clench shut tightly at the grating sound. Yet again, the woman had a smile plastered on her face that was anything but genuine and just the sight of it had Sam's hackles raising. As Sam's temper rose, Carol continued to poke and prod without realizing that there was a limit to what the petite overly nice young woman opposite of her would take. "There's a lot that goes in to meal prep for a group this size. We could use an extra pair or three of skilled hands, which I guess you won't be contributing to once school is out, which is good, I guess? I doubt there's a need for burned rolls."

"You know what?" Sam barked, loudly enough to have several pairs of eyes from neighboring tables glancing her way. Hearing Sam raise her voice in anger was a rare sight, and the people that noticed her doing so weren't averting their eyes any time soon. "Things have been done a certain way in this town for a long time, Carol. I sing, I play music...everyone else listens and enjoys themselves. If you have a problem with that, and it seems like you do, feel free to go somewhere else. I've had it with your snide comments and your beady little eyes glaring at me." Sam pushed back the chair and stood up and pulled her petite frame as tall as it would go. She tore her eyes away from Carol's shocked face and turned her attention to Sasha, who was wisely keeping her mouth shut, but Sam's feelings were still singed from the night before. "That goes for you, too. And, if anyone else has anything negative to say about me, my music, my family or anything else I forgot to mention, feel free to keep it to yourself, because I don't care to hear about it." Sam snatched the empty plate and glass of the table and focused on Jacey, who was slack jawed with wonder at the sight of Sam's reaction; something she had never witnessed and probably wouldn't again. Lashing out at people, being angry and yelling were just not in Sam's nature on normal days. "Jace, we're leaving. Gather up your plates, please."

As Sam marched towards the rear of the building with Jacey in tow, and a roomful of watchful eyes following her, the occupants of the table she had just vacated let out a collective breath that each and every one of them seemed to be holding in. Daryl was on the edge of his seat, torn between wanting to chase after Sam and check on her, and giving her the space he assumed she needed to calm down. He caught the expression on Cassie's face and said, "Don't see that every day."

"Definitely not. Pretty sure Sam's channeling her inner Cassie this afternoon." She mumbled in response. A shocked silence fell over the table like a dark cloud, no one was eating or speaking, simply sitting in their chairs a little stunned at the performance they had all witnessed. A moment passed and the sound of the heavy metal doors at the rear of the building signaled that Sam had left the building, which was enough to alleviate only a smidgen of the tension at the table.

Cassie felt Rick's hand on her thigh, his touch was comforting and warm. She slid her hand on top of his and gave it a little squeeze and smiled at him softly. "Sorry about that, Sam's not usually so fiery."

Rick looked at Cassie and then to Daryl, before turning his head to glare down the table towards the two women in his group that seem to be hell bent on causing as much friction as possible. As he studied them and wondered what their motivations were for focusing their wrath on Sam, he muttered his response to Cassie's apology. "Everyone has their breaking point."


	114. Chapter 114

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_**Sunday, April 22nd, 2012** _

 

Outside, Sam took a deep breath and prayed that her nerves would take a proverbial chill pill, because she felt like she was about to have a nervous breakdown and start screaming t the top of her lungs, all the while running around town pulling her hair out. Few things irritated her like judgmental people. People who wanted nothing more than to make the people around them miserable and it seemed like that was all she had dealt with that weekend. She had her eyes closed and her face turned up to soak up the warmth of the afternoon sun and mentally argued with herself to try and rid her mind of the negative thoughts that plagued her. You couldn’t have a positive outlook on life with negativity running through your mind.

Jacey’s hand was clasped tightly in hers, and the feel of her daughter’s small hand tugging at her insistently, brought Sam back to reality. Glancing over at Jacey, because she really didn’t have to look too far down at the little girl anymore after that last growth spurt, she forced a smile on to her face and asked, “So, what’s the plan for this afternoon? I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages, so we’ll do whatever you want to do today. How’s that sound?”

Jacey’s face lit up with happiness as a million ideas instantly popped in to her mind as to what they could do. Sadly, even though the temperature was bordering around the mid-seventies, it was too cold to swim and she had spent the day on the playground yesterday with her cousins, so she nixed the idea of going to down to the park. Jacey chewed on her bottom lip, a habit that was eerily similar to that of her adoptive mother, as she narrowed down what she wanted to do. Smiling at Sam, she asked, “Could we maybe work on that song we started a couple weeks ago? We haven’t played together in forever.”

“Are you sure that’s what you want to do? It’s so pretty out. Don’t you want to do something outside?” Sam inquired, positive that Jacey had brought up practicing the guitar because of the comments made by Carol at lunch and not because she actually wanted to work on the new song and chords they had started several weeks ago. “Sweetie, you don’t have to volunteer to go practice the guitar just because that lady said mean things about it at lunch. You don’t have to do that to make me feel better.”

“I’m not.” Jacey declared with what probably could have passed as utmost honesty with anyone other than Sam, who pinned her daughter with a look that plainly stated she didn’t believe her. “Okay, well, maybe not totally. But, I do want to learn it. Really, I do. Maybe we can sit up on the roof and play? That way we’re outside, too?” When Sam smiled and nodded, letting Jacey know that she liked the plan, Jacey wrinkled her nose and added, “And, that lady at lunch was mean. I don’t like her.”

“Yeah, kiddo, I don’t like her either.” Sam chuckled softly, but despite the sound of her laughter, there was still the nagging sensation of unrest swirling inside her body. She couldn’t put her finger on why Carol clearly despised her so much and it really bothered her. Sure, not everyone in the world was guaranteed to like you, but usually there was a reason behind the dislike and Sam could not figure out what she had done to the older woman that had warranted weeks of beady eyed glares and, more recently, patronizing comments.

She tried again to push aside the dark mood that was trying its best to ruin her afternoon and started towards the apartment. No sooner than she had stepped off the curb, Sam heard the unmistakable sound of Daryl’s voice calling out to her. Stopping, she turned to glance over her shoulder and, sure enough, the front door was slamming shut behind him as he darted down the steps in her direction.

“Hey, I, uh…wanted to check on you. Make sure you was okay.” Daryl stared down at Sam, his blue eyes full of concern as he tried to gauge just how upset she was. What he saw in her gaze caused his stomach to knot with worry. Anger flashed through her green eyes briefly, before she did her best to shut down her emotions and hide them from the curious child standing next to her.

“I need to talk to Daryl for a second, in private.” Sam said to Jacey, who had wedged herself between their bodies and was looking back and forth between them with a curious expression on her face. Sam pointed towards an old oak tree nearby that had a tire swing dangling from one thick branch. “It’s grown up talk, kiddo. Go play on the swing for a minute.”

Jacey peered up at Sam through thick dark lashes and put on her best pout, while slipping her hand into Daryl’s in hopes that she could stay with the two of them instead of being ushered away to play while they talked. However, one glance at the look in her mother’s eyes had her reconsidering her original plan. While Sam was doing her best to smile and appear nonchalant, even a seven year old could plainly tell that she was upset and stressed out. Sighing, Jacey let her hand slip from her brother’s and headed towards the old tire swing with her gaze firmly placed on the ground in front of her feet. She hoped they weren’t going to argue. Daryl and Sam had been getting along great the past couple of weeks and Jacey hoped that meant that maybe one day they might get back together, but if they started fighting again she doubted that would happen. All she wanted was a family, one with a mother and a father that loved her and maybe a sibling or two. Of course, Sam wasn’t the mother that gave birth to her and Daryl was actually her brother, but Jacey could ignore those trivial matters if it meant having the family she longed for.

Glancing past Daryl’s shoulder to where Jacey was sitting on the tire swing, drawing pictures on the dirt with the tips of her scuffed sneakers, Sam decided her sullen faced child was well enough out of earshot to have a private conversation. Of course, now that she had the desired alone time with Daryl, she wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted to talk to him about. She was pissed about the way his friends had treated her this weekend and couldn’t help but be a little upset by the fact that he hadn’t done anything to defend her when Carol had started in on her at lunch. In fact, the expression on his face during the whole exchange had further annoyed her during the exchange with Carol. At first, Daryl had seemed upset, even angry, but by the end he had sank back in to his chair, let his long hair fall forward to shield his expression and avoided making eye contact with either of them.

“You good?” Daryl finally piped up and asked after several moments of awkward silence. After Sam had stormed out of the building, it hadn’t taken long for him to follow behind her, but the expression on her face at the current moment was leading him to believe that maybe she was a little more upset with him than the two women in his group that had harassed her that weekend. “Look, don’t let Carol get under your skin.”

“Under my skin? Seriously? That woman has been giving me the evil eye for weeks now, I’m honestly surprised it took her this long to say something rude to me.” Sam huffed and shoved her hands onto her hips. Glaring up at Daryl, she fumed over the embarrassment she had had to endure that weekend, all at the hands of women that were brought in to the town by him. “That woman looks at me like I’ve encroached on her territory, Daryl. Did you have something going on with her? Did I butt in somewhere I shouldn’t be?”

“What? Me and Carol? No, ‘course not.” Daryl’s brows furrowed as he stared down at a clearly enraged Sam and he shook his head slowly from side to side to reiterate his words. “Carol and I, we’re just friends. That’s all. She’s been through some shit lately, ain’t been exactly the same as she was back when we first met. I don’t know what’s up with her, but she took it out on you.”

“Yeah, that seems to be happening a lot with your friends, Daryl. I’m getting a little sick of it.” Sam’s hands slid from her hips as her shoulders sagged, suddenly she felt deflated and fed up with all the stress that had been flung in her direction since he had walked back in to her life. “I’ve got to go. I promised Jace we’d work on new material today.”

“Yeah, alright. You…uh, coming back for dinner?” Daryl asked, shoving his hands in his pockets to keep from reaching out and drawing Sam towards him. During their short talk, she had slowly started taking steps away from him and the distance didn’t settle well with him. It seemed to Daryl that Sam was doing her best to put space between them, like she was pulling away from him.

“Got to eat, right?” Sam replied with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Having Jacey meant that she couldn’t hide in the apartment and live off the expired breakfast pastries that were tucked away in the kitchen. Nope, having a kid meant that she had to put on a brave face and take her daughter to dinner. Of course, that didn’t mean she had any intention of joining Daryl and his group for the meal.

“And, later? You want me to come by once Jace is in bed?” Daryl didn’t know what made him ask permission. For the past two weeks, he had snuck in to Sam’s apartment each night after his sister had fallen asleep, except for the nights when Jacey stayed at his house.

“Not tonight.” Sam shook her head and tried to ignore the flicker of hurt in his indigo gaze. She was physically and mentally drained after the events of the past few days. To be honest, she had been utterly exhausted since Daryl had popped back up in her life and she wanted nothing more than to collapse in to her bed and hopefully get ten hours of uninterrupted sleep, which Sam knew would never happen if Daryl came over. “I’m tired, Daryl. I need to get some sleep and recharge.” And, be by herself for a bit, but she left that part out.

The shadows beneath Sam’s eyes told him just how tired she was, but that didn’t mean he liked having her rebuff his invitation to spend the evening with her. Scowling, Daryl pushed aside the hurt feelings brought on by Sam’s rejection and let the anger he was more comfortable with surface. “So, what? You have a bad couple of days and suddenly you don’t want me around no more? Or, am I just supposed to be at your beck and call?”

“Oh, geez! Get over yourself, Daryl. Not everything is about you.” Except it was, when it came to Sam. Every waking minute of her life had been dominated by thoughts of Daryl since she had met him and that hadn’t lessened during their years apart, but damn if she was going to admit that to him. “I’m tired. What part of that aren’t you getting? I’ve fought with you this weekend, I’ve been harassed and verbally abused by your friends, and I haven’t slept well in days…or, weeks, really. I am exhausted and need some time to myself. Is that okay? Do I need your permission?”

“Nah, you don’t need my permission. You go on and do what you want, sweetheart.” Daryl replied in a cold tone that was eerily reminiscent of his brother, as he slid in to his former persona to deal with the sting of her rejection. “Just snap your fingers when you want me again.” Without waiting for a reply from Sam, or the apology he hoped would follow his comments, Daryl spun on his heel and stormed off in the direction of the woods; the only place he had ever felt one hundred percent comfortable with himself.

Sam stood rooted in place, her feet refused to move; neither in the direction of Daryl’s departure or towards her house. She blinked rapidly to stop the tears that prickled in her eyes, she was tired of crying, too. Finally, after a few deep breaths, she forced herself to motion to Jacey that it was time to go home and didn’t miss the surly expression on her daughter’s face as she approached. “Sorry about that, I didn’t mean for it to take that long. You ready to go home?”

“Why do you always have to be mean to him?” Jacey demanded as she glowered at Sam. “Daryl’s always nice to you, but you’re not to him…and he’s always running off.” She didn’t understand what the problem between Sam and Daryl was. They both claimed to still care for the other one, but they always ended up screaming at one another at some point; which lead to Daryl storming off to be alone and Sam crying.

“I’m not mean to Daryl.” Sam replied quickly, although she knew that sometimes she was mean to him, even if she didn’t mean to do so. She sighed and frowned at Jacey. “At least I don’t mean to be. You wouldn’t understand, Jacey…it’s grown up stuff and complicated.”

“It’s always complicated! You never try to explain it to me, you just tell me I wouldn’t understand. How can I understand if you won’t explain it to me?” Jacey cried, her blue eyes filled with angry tears and her chin quivered as she tried to keep them from spilling over on to her cheeks. She stomped her foot in aggravation and huffed loudly. “I’m a kid! I’m not stupid!”

“Jacey, sweetie, I never said you were stupid…never thought it for a second.” Sam reached out for Jacey and tried to comfort her, but the gesture was brushed aside as her daughter stepped away from her. “There’s just things kids don’t understand about adult relationships.”

“I bet I could if you’d just try to talk to me.” Jacey pouted, poking her bottom lip out, and stomped away from Sam and headed towards their apartment; the angry departure was straight out a book on her brother.

Sam followed behind Jacey, giving her the space she needed to calm down, and unlocked the back door when they got to the apartment. When Jacey brushed past her in to the hallway, Sam hesitantly asked, “Do you still want to work on that song?”

“No.” Jacey snapped without bothering to turn to face Sam. Instead, she headed straight towards her bedroom and made sure to shut the door with more force than necessary; effectively blocking Sam out.

Sam’s shoulder slumped in defeat, and felt like the weight of the world had landed on them as she leaned back against the door and slid to the floor. She pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapped her arms around them and laid her head down as the first wave of tears finally leaked out of her eyes. In the past forty-eight hours, she had made love to Daryl for the first time in twelve years, had gotten her first black eye courtesy of breaking up a fight between her brother and Daryl, been verbally assaulted by some woman she barely knew from Daryl’s group, gotten in to a fight with Daryl about his lack of communication, been picked on by his good friend, Carol, managed to get in to another fight with Daryl and topped all that off by upsetting Jacey to the point that her daughter now refused to speak to her. It was, all in all, a horrible weekend and what really upset her, both in sorrow and anger, was that each and every thing that had happened to her in the past two days had one common denominator.

_Daryl._


	115. Chapter 115

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Sunday, April 22nd, 2012**  
_

Frustrated and annoyed with Sam, Daryl continued to stalk towards the protective cover the tree line in his sights would provide. He felt like shit for just storming off and leaving without saying anything to Jacey and knew that his little sister had to be confused as to what was going on between him and Sam. Hell, he was a grown man and he was confused enough about the relationship, Daryl couldn’t imagine what it must be like for Jacey right now. Of course, Daryl knew perfectly well what it was like to grow up under the strain of parents who fought constantly and he swore that he would never allow a child in his life to suffer through the stress that experience caused. Which was exactly why he made sure to leave whenever the tension between him and Sam built up to a point where the only thing they could do to relieve it was fight or fuck; neither of which was a suitable option for a child to be around.

Daryl didn’t blame Sam for being upset, far from it actually, but he hated that she was using the confrontation with Sasha and Carol as a reason to push him away. It wasn’t like he had anything to do with either of those situations, he certainly hadn’t instigated either of them. He had made sure to put a considerable amount of fear in to Sasha after her antics and doubted that she would ever try to provoke Sam again, and figured that there would be an apology in the future, too.

The situation with Carol through him for a loop. He couldn’t figure out what had triggered the attack at lunch, even after replaying it in his head. Daryl knew that Sam wasn’t used to being treated with such passive aggressiveness, but she certainly wasn’t stupid either and had figured out quickly what Carol was up to. He could still feel the weight of Sam’s stare as she had searched for him to help her out and felt guilty as hell for not stepping in and telling Carol to back off. With Sasha, he had come to Sam’s defense without a second thought, but it was different with Carol.

Carol was his confidant. She was the only one in the group to recognize his worth in the beginning, the one that made him feel like he was truly a part of the family, instead of an outsider waiting to mete out whatever Rick said needed to be done. They had bonded over their horrendous pasts, forged a friendship through the pain they had suffered in life at the hands of their loved ones and became family, when neither of them had anyone else. It was Carol’s faith in him that made Daryl realize that there was still hope for him, that he hadn’t fully become the one thing hated most in the world…his father.

Then, there was Sam. His wife. The first and only woman he had ever loved. She was the first person to love him in spite of his faults. She was the one that had once kissed the scars he was so ashamed of with tender lips, as though she was trying to erase the painful memory of them. It was Sam that made Daryl want to be a better person. It was the faith she used to have in him, the strength of her love that had once made him think that it was possible to be a better man. She was his everything; his past, his present and, hopefully, his future.

The realization as to why Sam was so upset with him smacked Daryl in the face just as he reached the line of trees that led to the dense thicket of woods he found so comforting. He had stupidly sat in his chair, silent and unmoving, and let Carol unleash whatever pent up feelings towards Sam without stepping in to defend the woman he loved…just like he had once done when it came to his brother. Back years ago, he had foolishly let his brother talk to Sam any way he wanted, let him hurt her feelings, and done nothing to stop it. And, like an idiot, he had stood by and let history repeat itself during lunch. Mentally slapping himself for his stupidity, Daryl turned on his heel and headed towards the town hall where Carol should be starting her shift in the kitchen for dinner preparations.

As he rounded the corner, Daryl came to a halt a good twenty yards away from the back deck when he found Carol already outside talking with Rick. Or, rather, having a heated discussion with the man. Torn between defending Sam and not wanting to intrude on their private conversation, Daryl stood rooted in place and was in the middle of trying to make a decision on what to do when Carol noticed him. She turned her red flushed face, her skin tinted with the anger and frustration she was unleashing on Rick, towards Daryl and pinned him with an exasperated look and furrowed brow.

“Daryl’s as bad as you are, Rick!” Carol snapped, the timid voice she once had long since gone. Shaking her head in disgust for a reason that Daryl had yet to be clued in to, she turned her gaze back to Rick. “The two of you are running around here worrying about making a love connection instead of trying to secure our future here. You should have already made headway on getting a seat on the council, Rick, instead of chasing Cassie around all damn day.” Carol cut her eyes towards Daryl once more, her gaze darkening as he slowly approached them. “And you, letting some damned woman control you the way she’s been doing? Sam crooks her finger at you and you’re running off to save her or do whatever else she needs done. I feel like I’m the only one that hasn’t lost their head around here! The whole damn group’s just been carrying on like the end of the world isn’t going on just around the corner. It’s like ya’ll have all forgotten what it’s like out there and don’t give a damn about what’s going to happen if we get kicked out of this town! We’ve got no real security, nothing, to ensure we have a place.”

“It’s barely been six weeks, Carol.” Rick sighed as he scrubbed a hand over the nonexistent beard he had yet to get used to not having. “The council is full, they only add new members whenever someone is no longer available to serve; sickness or death, that’s it. I can't come in and start making demands, trying to take over a town that has run just fine before me and, will do so after me.”

“Sam ain’t just some damned woman, Carol. Not to me. And, she doesn’t crook nothing to make me help her.” Daryl’s voice was low, oddly calm in spite of the raging emotions coursing through his body. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand the reasoning behind Carol’s worry, because he did. But, just because she was anxious about how secure their position was in Collins didn’t give her any damned right to talk down to or about Sam. “I’ve been doing the same damn thing here as I’ve always done for the group. What I do ain’t changed; I hunt, I kill, I protect. It’s what I do.”

“Yeah, you do that, but you’ve changed, Daryl. You don’t see it because you’re too tied up with what your ex-wife is doing.” Carol shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. “I just don’t get why you’re so consumed by her. If she’s so important, then why had none of us even heard of her before we ended up here? Not a single word about Sam, Daryl. She’s your ex, as in past tense…act like it and start making your strengths known around here. It’s high time the both of you pull your heads out of your asses and start asserting yourselves around here.”

“Maybe because it was none of your damned business?” Daryl ground out, skipping over the part where he was supposed to extract his head from his ass and focusing solely on the section regarding his relationship with Sam. Hell, only reason Carol knew about his abuse was because she saw the scars the night he was recovering on the farm after his fall and being shot by Andrea. He had only shared the information about his mother dying to Carl as a way to let the kid know that he wasn’t the only one that had lost a parent at a young age. Actually, Daryl had been shocked to hear the story come out of his mouth as he was telling it to Carl. He wasn’t one to share sob stories about his past, and the story of his relationship with Sam was one of the biggest ones he had; full of heartache and regret. It wasn’t something he liked to share with people, he wasn’t fond of talking about his failures in life. “What happens between me and my wife now still ain’t none of your business neither.”

“Ex-wife, Daryl.” Carol pointed out quickly, catching the slip of Daryl’s tongue. “You want to play house with your ex, fine. But when things in this town go to shit and our group suffers because of it, because the two of you haven’t taken over some of the authority around here, don’t blame me.”

“You voted to stay, Carol. Did you really want to, or did you just vote that way because everyone else did?” Rick stepped in, momentarily saving Daryl from any further inquisition about his slip of the tongue regarding his marriage to Sam; something he fully intended to ask his friend about at a later time.

“Of course I wanted to stay.” Carol looked to Rick with a dumbfounded expression on her face. “They have supplies: food, weapons, medical treatment. Why wouldn’t I want to be here? I just thought you had a better plan on how to go about situating ourselves into this community other than shacking up with the first woman to show you some attention around here.” She refrained from making a comment in regards to the reputation of the young woman Rick was consorting with, having been filled in on all the gossip about Cassie Delaney while slaving away in the kitchen, but Carol often wondered if Rick knew exactly what type of woman he was consorting with.

“I’m spending time with someone I enjoy being in the company of, Carol. I’m moving on after the death of my wife…trying to start a new future.” Rick tilted his head and glared at Carol with an intensity that often made those on the receiving end nervous. “That’s what we stayed here for. A safe place. So we can stop suffering, barely surviving. A future. I want my children to grow up, I don’t want them to know what it’s like to suffer, to starve. Carl’s experienced that enough, I don’t want Judith to have to follow in her brother’s footsteps. I am doing what I feel is best for my family…that includes you.”

“I just think you’re making a mistake, Rick. You’re a better leader than those old men sitting around that table.” Carol dropped her arms and shook her head with a sigh. She gave one final look to the men in front of her, one full of disappointment and anxiousness, before leaving them alone on the porch. Dinner was only a few hours away and she was scheduled to work that particular shift. She loathed being stuck in the kitchen, a place she had once enjoyed before marrying her husband and spending the rest of their marriage slaving over a stove to make meals that often led to his fury when they weren’t prepared to his specifications. But, there was at least a chance for growth in the kitchen. Donna Collins couldn’t hold the position of kitchen manager forever and Carol fully intended to take over whenever that day came.

“So, wife?” Rick asked quietly as he leaned against the railing next to Daryl. He kicked his long legs out a bit and crossed his arms over his torso.

“Yeah.” Was Daryl’s only response. That’s what he liked the most about Rick, there was never a need to over explain things with the man. He wasn’t one for small talk and appreciated being in the presence of someone who not only understood that, but could read him well enough to not need to resort to such matters.

“Well, good for you.” Rick glanced out of the corner of his eye at Daryl. Seeing the ghost of a smile on his friend’s face, Rick chuckled and clapped Daryl on the shoulder. He didn’t know the story regarding the sudden change in status regarding their marriage and honestly, really didn’t need the whole story. All that mattered was his friend appeared happy and if having Sam as his wife was what put a smile, even a hint of one, on Daryl’s face, then that was good enough for Rick. There were too few reasons to smile in this world now, best take what ones you could get. “Good for both of you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the reviews on this week's chapters! Hope everyone has a great rest of the week. I will be back Saturday night to update. :)


	116. Chapter 116

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the reviews on last week's chapters!!! Loved them all.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

Previously, Sam had words with Carol and unfortunately, took her hurt feelings from being verbally annoyed by Sasha and Carol out on Daryl. All of which, pissed Jacey off pretty well. Daryl told Carol where to stick her concerns about his relationship with Sam.

 

_**Sunday, April 22nd, 2012** _

Daryl leaned over his plate, one elbow on the table while slumping in his chair, a maneuver that would certainly raise the hackles of his mother in law if she happened to step out of the kitchen. Dinner was in full swing and there had yet to be any sign of Sam or Jacey. He shoveled in giant bite of some type of roasted meat that he had no doubt been the killer of and scanned the room beneath the thatch of his dark bangs. If they hadn’t shown up by the time he polished off his meal, he was going to go check on them…no matter what Sam had said to him earlier about needing some space and rest.

“They’re here. You can calm down now.” Cassie chided from across the table. He glowered at her briefly, which only earned a throaty chuckle from her, before glancing over his shoulder to the back entrance Sam and Jacey had just sauntered through. “No matter how much she doesn’t want to be here, Sam’s not gonna let Jacey skip a meal.”

Daryl grunted in response, knowing damn well that Cassie was right because with Jacey, Sam was the epitome of the mother he wished he’d had growing up. His eyes were on Sam as she ushered Jacey to the food line and helped her daughter fill one of the smaller child sized plates with food, before pointing her in the direction of their table. He didn’t miss the fact that Sam’s left wrist was covered in a thick black brace or that her hands were empty, having not fixed herself anything to eat, or that Jacey’s face was a mask of childhood angst as she stomped away from her mother; leaving Sam tight lipped and blinking rapidly to control the tears he knew must be tingling in her eyes.

As Jacey wove her way through the tables towards him, Daryl kept a watchful eye on Sam and cursed under his breath when she turned away from him and headed back down the hallway she and Jacey had just entered from. Nodding towards Cassie, he asked about the brace on Sam’s hand. “Why’s she got that brace on? She still have issues with her wrist?”

“All the time. She said it only really hurts when it’s gonna rain, but there’s discomfort pretty much all the time.” Cassie informed him, glancing past him to where Sam was just pushing open the door to the stage and disappearing from view; no doubt hiding because of the drama during lunch. “She had to have two more surgeries, you know? Kept having issues with it, lots of pain and all. Couldn’t play the guitar for damn near a year at one point. Thought it was going to kill her, not playing the guitar…not the pain, she toughed that out like a trooper. Can’t say I’m sad to see her in the brace though. Almost guarantees we’ll have rain soon. She’s like our own little weather person.”

Their conversation was cut off by the screech of metal chair legs against the wooden floor when Jacey huffed and flopped down in her seat with the sullen look of a displeased child. Focusing on his sister, Daryl asked, “What’s got you so pissed?”

“Sam.” Jacey put a sulking emphasis on Sam’s name and frowned while poking at the vegetables on her plate that she no doubt had no interest in, but was forced to eat. “She’s just being mean and making me mad. Like how she was with you earlier, always being mean and not caring about it. She’s not even my real mother, she just got stuck with me.”

“Watch it.” Daryl snapped, pointing his fork at the kid across from him who’s grouchy expression was eerily reminiscent of his own. “Sam’s the only damned mother you got and you’re lucky to have her. She’s a whole helluva lot better than the other options you was given. You hear me?”

“But, maybe my dad didn’t want to leave? Maybe Sam made him mad, too, by being mean and he had to go away?” Jacey countered with childhood logic that made no sense in the real world. Of course, Sam’s insistence that Will Dixon’s past not be mentioned to the child he left behind didn’t help the situation, since Jacey had no idea what type of man her father was.

“Our father’s a piece of shit that only cares about his self. You got that? I don’t know what Sam’s been telling you about him, but you listen to me when I say he wasn’t no father. He was nothing but a drunk, nothing but a bastard who hurt others to make himself feel better.” Daryl growled as he dropped the fork he’d been pointing at his little sister to his plate. He hated to be the one to break the news about their deadbeat father, but he’d be damned if he was going to let Jacey sit there and put down Sam, the woman that loved her with all of her heart, and glorify the demon that abused him and Merle as children and would have no doubt done the same to Jacey had he stuck around.

He hadn’t meant to be so harsh, the words had just poured out in defense of the woman he loved. But, glaring across the table at his kid sister whose eyes were now brimming with tears, Daryl’s shoulders slumped when he realized just how his words had affected Jacey. “Shit. I didn’t mean to say it like that, Jace. I’m sorry.”

“Sam said my dad was real poor, but that he loved me so much that he wanted her to raise me so I’d have everything he didn’t have growing up.” Jacey sniffled and fidgeted in her seat, uncomfortable with the stares of the near strangers at the table that were now staring at her. Little did she know that her brother was uncomfortable, too, because few at the table knew exactly what type of horrors he had endured as a child.

“Yeah, I figured that was something she’d tell you. Didn’t want to hurt your feelings by telling you the truth.” Daryl leaned closer to his sister and talked lower to keep his words from traveling down the table to the ears of his family members that were curious enough about his past to listen in. “He was a bad man, Jacey. Real bad…to me and Merle, when we was just kids. He drank a lot and hurt us whenever he got the chance. Be glad he left you with Sam, kid. She’s everything he ain’t. You hear me?”

“Yeah.” Jacey whispered as she nodded her head in agreement; the bows tied at the ends of her pigtails bouncing with the movement. After a few moments, once she had sniffled some more and wiped away the tears on her cheeks, Jacey reached over to her brother and grabbed hold of his hand. “Daddies aren’t supposed to hurt their kids. I’m sorry he didn’t leave you with someone like Sam.”

Choked up by a lump of emotion in his throat at the sincerity in his sister’s voice, Daryl simply nodded and turned his attention back to the last few morsels on his plate. The tension filled silence at the table was suddenly broke by the melodic sounds of Sam playing the piano on the stage. Glancing at Cassie, he asked, “So, she can play with the brace? It don’t hurt bad enough to not play”

“You ever seen Sam not play?” The question was out of Cassie’s mouth before she realized what she was saying. Cursing softly, she shot Daryl a look with her apology filling her gaze, because of course Daryl had seen Sam in enough pain to not play the music that she adored so much. After Emily’s death, it had taken nearly half a year to get her to put a guitar back in her hands, and even longer before she started writing with a passion once more. “She’s just fiddling around up there though, you can tell by the way the music sounds. She’s not writing or playing any of her songs. In fact, I think she’s playing Metallica.” Cassie closed her eyes and let the sound was over her, before smiling and nodding. “Yep, that is definitely a very Sam version of Enter Sandman.”

“Is there any song that Sam doesn’t know?” Maggie asked curiously, finally joining the conversation at a safe point. She had overheard a great deal of the conversation between Daryl and his sister, and her heart hurt for the man that was so close with her own sister, but that she barely knew, despite living with him for so long.

“She’s one of those musical genius kind of people. Hears a song, figures out the notes almost instantly, learns to play it. Hell, she plays like six different instruments. Would probably play more if we had them around for her to learn on.” Cassie chewed on a carrot, while Sam changed instantly from the Metallica song to a hauntingly beautiful classical version of one of Nirvana’s biggest hits. “I think right now, she’s just avoiding coming down here. Doesn’t want to sit at the table with certain people, you know. Her banging away on the piano is kind of like a giant Fuck You to your friends at the end.” Cassie made a point of leaning forward a bit to glare down the table to where Carol and Sasha were sitting. Eyes wide, Cassie glanced over to Jacey, who was staring straight at her. “You did not hear me say the F-word, got it?”

“Cross my heart and hope to die.” Jacey replied instantly, but her face lit up with a devious smile. “But you’re gonna have to eat these for me anyway.” Pushing her plate across the table to her Aunt Cassie, Jacey felt a bit triumphant that she had figured out a way to get the blob of green beans and beets off her plate.

On stage, the upbeat flow of music from Sam’s hands started to slow. The dull ache in her left wrist had given way to sharp pains and stiffness as the day grew close to an end, and judging by how bad it was, she was certain the town would be awash in at least a healthy dose of rain by dinner time tomorrow. Giving up on music for the evening, Sam closed the lid to the piano and blew out the lantern she had only just lit. She wasn’t ready to join the others, the Sunday night meal lasting longer than the other meals during the week, and opted to retreat to the kitchen in search of her mother.

“I heard you haven’t eaten dinner, yet.” Donna chastised her daughter the moment Sam crossed the threshold to the kitchen. The mess from dinner was cleaned up and there wasn’t much left for Donna to do that night except check the cupboards and refrigerator and make a list of what needed to be restocked from the supply store and a list given to the group leaving in the morning for items to be on the watch for. Donna pointed at the stool across the counter from her and said, “Sit.”

“I’m not hungry, Mom. There’s no need to fix me anything.” She didn’t know why she even bothered to attempt to keep her mother from fixing her something to eat, she should have known by now that Donna Collins had a stubborn streak a mile long and an impressive case of selective hearing. When her mother placed a bowl of stew in front of her, the tantalizing smell of roasted meat and vegetables with a mouthwatering blend of spices and herbs floated up to her nose and her stomach growled in appreciation. “Thank you.”

“Anything for my baby girl.” Donna replied as she reclaimed her seat on the stool and eyeballed her daughter. The smile that Sam had been sporting for the past couple of weeks had long since disappeared earlier in the weekend after the issue with Tyler and Daryl. Now, her eyes were clouded with sadness and worry, dark circles marred the pale skin below her eyes with a darkness that rivaled the bright bruises across the side of her face. “Go on and tell me what’s wrong, Sam. You know I can tell you’re upset about something and I’m just going to hound you about it until you tell me. Is something wrong with you and Daryl?”

“What do you know about me and Daryl?” Sam asked cautiously around a bite of meat flavored potato that was so tasty she nearly moaned. In an attempt to cover up the fledgling relationship she may or may not still have with Daryl after that afternoon, Sam didn’t wait for her mother to respond. “Not that there’s a ‘me and Daryl’ to talk about anyway. I mean, Daryl and I aren’t anything really. We’re just us, friends kind of sorta, I mean, there’s not really anything.” The look on her mother’s face caused Sam to stop her rambling, as her blatant excuse for a cover story was obviously failing. She sighed in defeat and forced her eyes up from the bowl of stew to meet her mother’s knowing gaze. “Crap, how’d you find out?”

“Because you just told me, baby girl.” Donna smiled brightly, obviously quite pleased with herself for finding a way to get the truth out of her daughter. Sam should have known that she couldn’t keep anything from her mother, the lady always found out eventually. “All I know is that whatever is actually going on between you two needs to just hurry up and get to the good part, because I want some more grandbabies.”

“Grandbabies?” Sam choked, her eyes bugging out in surprise at her mother’s comments. “Whoa, slow down. We are not anywhere in the neighborhood of having babies, Mom. I don’t even know if I want a baby, much less babies...as in plural. We’re just sort of back together, let’s slow things down some, okay?”

“Hush. I see the two of you together. I know how much you two still love one another. It pains me to even think about how many sweet grandbabies I could have had if your father had kept his nose out of your relationship.” Donna’s heart clenched at the thought of the grandbaby she had lost and a tear sprang to her eye at the thought of how much heartache that loss caused Sam and Daryl. “Baby girl, you aren’t getting any younger, and Daryl most certainly isn’t. If you love him and he loves you, then get with the getting while the getting’s good, you know? Life is far too short to fret over what could have been, or what might go wrong, and anything else that you’ve got going on in your head to keep you from letting yourself be happy. Tell that man you love him and make me some grandbabies. That’s an order.”


	117. Chapter 117

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews from last night's chapters!!!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_**Monday, April 23nd, 2012 >** _

_Sam couldn’t sleep. Not that she had really expected to be able to do so, but when she had told Daryl that her reasoning for needing to be alone for the night was to get some rest, she had honestly hoped that sleep might actually happen. After no less than four hours of staring at the dark ceiling above her bed, Sam had given up on the notion of slumber and peaceful dreams and now laid in the hammock on the roof, wrapped in a soft blanket to ward off the cool night air and allowed her exhausted mind to get lost in the inky blackness of the sky. The night sky was starless, the moon was merely a muted orb of pale light, hidden away by the rapidly approaching storm clouds. Somewhere in the not so far distance, a mockingbird called out hopefully to a mate that so far only seemed to be interested in replying with a call of her own._

_She had been up there for hours, using one foot to idly rock herself gently, and let her busy mind work through everything that had happened since Daryl had shown back up and thrown her carefully structured life in to a tailspin. Each and every second of the time they had spent together, before and after the outbreak, had been painstakingly analyzed in her mind in hopes that she might figure out exactly how she felt about being with Daryl again. After hours of gnawing on her bottom lip while rehashing every little detail, the only thing she could come up with in regards to how she felt about Daryl being back in her life was that she was happy about it. No matter how much her heart still ached from before, no matter how many tears had been shed, no matter how many angry words had been exchanged, she was still completely and utterly in love with Daryl Dixon and wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of their lives together._

_The problem that remained was she didn’t know if she was strong enough to love him the way he needed to be loved. Did she have the inner strength to push past her own insecurities to give Daryl the type of love that he needed? Her heart told her that she was, but Sam couldn’t shake the nagging thoughts that screamed at her to protect herself from the heartbreak that she felt was inevitable. Thankfully, the sound of clomping hooves broke Sam from her moody, depressing thoughts and she pushed out of the hammock to peer over the edge of the roof down on to the street below. She realized she had spent far longer outside than she realized upon seeing the group of men lashing horses to carts and preparing to head out on a scavenging mission._

_Sam turned her back on to the sounds below and darted across the roof to shimmy down the ladder, stopping at the back door long enough to make sure it was locked. She jiggled the knob and, once she was certain Jacey was locked safely inside, she clamored down the stairs and sprinted through the alleyway. As she stepped off the curb and away from the protection of the awning above, the first fat raindrop fell from the sky and plunked straight down on to her forehead; the distant sound of thunder rumbling was ominous. She hated that the guys were going to have to head out in the rain and hoped the impending thunderstorm wasn’t too terrible. She jogged across the street and came to a stop beside one of the three carts just as Tyler exited the supply store with a load of empty containers in his arms._

_“Wasn’t sure you’d show up this morning.” Tyler said with a sigh as he put the containers in to one of the carts. He came around the edge of the wooden trailer and enveloped Sam in to his massive embrace before she could respond. Holding her tightly against his chest, he continued, “After the way I’ve acted lately, I didn’t expect you to come out and say goodbye.”_

_Hugging him back, Sam’s thin arms barely reached around his thick torso. “I always come to say bye, Tyler. Just because you’ve been an ass lately doesn’t mean I’m going to let you skip off in to the wild blue yonder without reminding you to be safe and telling you that I love you.” Because, you never knew what would happen on the road and she didn’t want to risk her big brother not knowing how much she loved him just in case something happened. “You be careful out there, okay? Promise me you won’t be all gung-ho, superhero man.”_

_“I’ll be as safe as I can be.” Tyler’s eyes sparkled with barely contained excitement as he turned back to the trailer and started strapping down supplies. Sam shook her head and hated that Cassie had been right about Tyler that he would never be happy settling down and taking on one of the boring jobs in town. All she could do was pray for the best and hoped he returned after each trip._

_Droplets started falling from the sky, scattering across the ground in a random pattern and Sam looked upwards to see that the rain clouds had grown thicker in the darkened sky just since she had retreated from the rooftop. She wanted to get back inside before the storm hit, but she didn’t want to leave until she said goodbye to Ryan, too. After she told Tyler she loved him and reiterated the need for him to be safe, Sam headed towards the propped open door of the supply store just as Ryan stepped out on to the sidewalk, his arms laden down with a backpack and jugs of water._

_“Here, let me help you with that.” Sam reached out and snatched a jug of water out from the crook of his arm before he could protest. She stepped aside and let him move towards the cart and sat the jug of water down where he indicated. “I just wanted to say bye, be safe and all.” Ryan simply nodded in response, Sam could see the war of emotions in his chocolate brown eyes and hated that she had hurt him so deeply. Her heart was heavy as her shoulders slumped in defeat, she truly wasn’t certain that the friendship they had once had could be saved. Sam closed the gap between them and wrapped her arms around his waist, her heart broke at the feel of Ryan tensing in her embrace. “Just come home, okay? Whatever’s happened between us, just be safe and come home.”_

_“Daryl’s waiting for you.” Ryan mumbled, completely brushing aside her concern over his safe return. His hands circled Sam’s biceps as he extricated himself from her hold and took enough steps backwards to put space between them once more. Sam noted the expression on his face, dark yet resigned, as she glanced over her shoulder to where his gaze was focused and found Daryl glaring back at them._

_“He’s not here with me.” Sam muttered softly, although she doubted her response would mean much to Ryan. She turned her gaze back to her former boyfriend, but found that he had already returned to the mission at hand and was busy dealing with the pile of supplies that had accumulated by the cart. She could feel the weight of Daryl’s stare on her as he leaned against the brick wall across the street and mentally cursed herself for not realizing sooner that he would show up that morning since members of his group were joining in on the current supply run. “I’ll, um, let you get back to it then.”_

_Sam didn’t bother to wait for Ryan’s reply, which was a good thing since he offered nothing in return. She shoved her hands deep in to the pockets of the ancient hoodie from her college days and headed across the street to where Daryl was standing. The drizzling rain was cold against the skin on her face and spritzed across her hair with enough force to have the naturally wavy locks frizzing and fluffing from the moisture. Once she was back underneath the protection of the awning, she lifted her pocket covered hands to her face and used the soft material to wipe off some of the rain clinging to her skin, before meeting Daryl’s intense gaze. “Come to see you’re guys off?”_

_“Nope.” His one word reply was gruffly spoken as he studied Sam with an uneasy quietness that only Daryl could make seem sexy. Sam’s heart skipped a beat as his dark, contemplative gaze washed over her and left her feeling embarrassed that she hadn’t bothered to worry about her appearance until now. Still dressed in the clothes she had attempted to fall asleep in so many hours before, Sam stood awkwardly as Daryl stood in silence and showed no emotions on his face to clue her in on what he was feeling. The embarrassment that plagued her in regards to her clothing only intensified when his steely gaze moved over her body, clearly taking in the worn sweatshirt, plaid boxer shorts, knee socks and Ugg boots. What had previously been comfortable, now only seemed childish and definitely unattractive._

_“So, you just wanted to walk around in this beautiful weather then?” Sam finally tossed out lightly, opting for humor instead of getting down to the business of figuring out what was in store for them after the stressful accumulation of events over the weekend._

_“Something like that.” Daryl pushed off the brick wall and leaned close to Sam, the sheer change in proximity caused her breath to quicken and her body to tingle in anticipation. He wiped the tips of his fingers over her cheekbone, swiping away the raindrops that clung to her skin, and muttered softly. “You’re shivering.”_

_“It’s a little cool.” Sure, she told herself, that was what the problem was…the temperature. The shaking of her body wasn’t caused by the feel of Daryl’s fingers on his skin, the warmth that radiated from his body or the heady scent of him that wafted up from the clothes he had been wearing the day before. She briefly wondered why he hadn’t bothered to change, but the question drifted out of her mind as his fingertips drifted over her cheek, trailed down her to her jawbone and tickled along the curve of her neck. She wet her lips and tried not to moan at the feel of his touch. Who was she kidding? There was no way she could stay away from him now that he was back in her life, back in her heart and back in her bed. “You wanna come up?”_

_Sam slipped past him without waiting for a reply, simply heading in to the darkened alley with full confidence that Daryl would follow after her. His boots slapped against the wet pavement behind her and she smiled when his hand slipped in to hers. Sam tugged Daryl down the narrow alleyway, telling herself that she was hurrying towards her apartment because the rain was picking up, but the dampness between her thighs had nothing to do with the weather and everything to do with Daryl. She quickly climbed the stairs while digging in to the pocket of her sweatshirt in search of the keys stashed there, fumbling about for a moment before finally securing them in her shaking hand._

_At the top of the stairs, Daryl was pressed against her, the evidence of his desire for her touching her back. He slipped his hand from hers while she struggled to get the key in to the lock and slid along the curves of her body. His head dipped down in to the curve of her neck, his breath hot and moist against her skin, and the sudden feel of his tongue licking over the delicate flesh had Sam clamping her thighs together tightly. The key missed the hole once more as she pushed her hips back against Daryl, seeking out relief from the pressure building up inside her body._

_“Hurry.” Daryl commanded, his words full of need and spoken forcefully against the curve of her neck only a split second before his teeth sank in to her skin. His hand delved into the front of her shorts and he moaned deeply, no doubt upon making the realization that she wore no underwear beneath the boxers. Sam whimpered and bit her bottom lip hard enough to nearly bring blood to the surface when his fingers pushed between her trembling thighs and slid roughly against the aching need nestled there. “Unless you want me to take you right here, I’d suggest getting that damn door open.”_

_“I’m trying.” Sam shivered with desire as he gruffly instructed her to try harder and nearly cried out in triumph when the blasted key finally slid home. They tumbled inside the dark apartment and stumbled in to the wall with enough force to wake Jacey, but didn’t let that slow them down as they navigated their way towards the ladder that would take them to Sam’s bed._

_When they were finally upstairs, Daryl pulled her against him and slid his hands underneath her bulky sweatshirt and pulled it from her body. Sans bra, she trembled as the roughness of his palms slid over her breasts and scratched against her sensitive, puckered nipples. Sam dug her hands in to his thick hair and roughly kissed him, devouring his lips as her desire peaked and threatened to tear her apart inside._

_They neared the bed and Sam kicked off her boots as they shuffled across the small area, the mattress hit the backs of her legs and she fell backwards on to it. The mattress dipped beneath his weight and even in the total darkness she could feel the intensity of his stare on her skin. Daryl pushed her back on to the mattress, his touch was demanding, but still held a whisper of the gentle lover that lay just beneath his fevered skin. His hands slid up her bare thighs and Sam squirmed beneath his touch as his fingers clasped around the waistband of her shorts and impatiently tugged them from her body. Clad in only a pair of knee socks, Sam spread her legs wide enough for him to settle between them._

_His lips descended on hers hungrily, his tongue thrust in to her mouth, tasting her and laying claim to what was undeniably his. Sam moaned against his lips and fiercely returned the kiss while tugging insistently at the buckle on his belt. Her naked body writhed against his clothed one and the feel of the roughness of his jeans brushing over her bare thighs both infuriated her and drove her wild with desire. She managed to get the belt buckle loose and tore at the buttons on the fly of his pants, tearing them open with a growl of urgency against his lips. His cock fell out of the open fly, thick and hot with need, and a flood of desire pooled at the apex of her thighs at the feel of his hard member as she closed her hand around it._

_Sam moaned in protest when Daryl tore his lips from hers and tried to move from on top of her, but reigned in her annoyance when she realized he was just searching for the condoms in the drawer of the nightstand. She heard him curse in the darkness a moment before hearing the sound of the drawer falling out on to the floor. A second later the weight of his body pressed in to her again and she widened her thighs and rubbed against him while he struggled to tear open the foil packet. Another muttered curse had Sam reaching out and feeling up his arm until her hand closed over his and she could pull the small square wrapper from his hand. She somehow managed to get it open and eagerly pulled the condom out and tossed the wrapper to the side. Sam slid her hands between their bodies and closed one hand over his cock, felt Daryl tense at the sensation and heard a hiss of pleasure whisper from his mouth as she rolled the condom down his thick, hardened length._

_Daryl plunged in to her heated depth roughly, ripping a cry of passion from Sam as his need for her overtook him and drove him to the point of no return. She slid her hands beneath his shirt and dug her nails in deep to the scarred skin of his back, marking the territory that was hers. Her feet buried in to the mattress, giving her solid purchase to meet him thrust for thrust; their coupling hurried and full of wanton desire that burned deep inside the both of them. The loft was filled with the sounds of his body thrusting slickly against the wet heat of her arousal, their combined moans of pleasure and the sharp thwack of his balls slapping against the curve of her ass as Sam lifted up from the mattress while Daryl plowed in to her with the ferocity of a man possessed._

_Somewhere in the recesses of his mind, Daryl still maintained a sliver of reasoning, because a split second before his fucking tore a scream of pure unaltered ecstasy from her lips he slapped a hand over her mouth to cover her cries. Sam ground her center against Daryl as she rode out the waves of pleasure and wrapped her thighs around his waist, pressing the heels of her feet against his ass to urge him on. His head was buried in the crook of her neck, the roughness of his grunting was hot and moist against her skin, and the sudden feel of his teeth biting down as he muffled his own release had her moaning loudly against his hand that was still clamped over her mouth._

_Daryl’s hand slipped from her mouth and his body sank down heavily on top of hers while they both panted loudly. Her arms slid around his shoulders and the feel of his scruff caressing over the sensitive skin of her neck that he had just bitten sent shivers down Sam’s body, causing a flood of desire to pool around his still hardened shaft that was still buried inside of her. Trembling beneath him, Sam wondered if the need to have Daryl would ever subside. That aching desire she held for Daryl, and Daryl only, had only managed to deepen during the years they had spent apart…the intensity of her obsession, of the addiction Daryl Dixon held over her, elated Sam and yet, scared the shit out of her at the same time._


	118. Chapter 118

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you oodles for all the response on the last few chapters!!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

__  
**Monday, April 23nd, 2012**  


 

Reluctantly, Daryl crawled off of Sam and rolled to over on to his back to quickly deal with the used condom before she'd even had a chance to tug a sheet over her body. He dug in his pocket for the lighter he'd shoved in before leaving his house and flicked it to produce a flame in order to locate the wastebasket he knew was next to the end table, and noticed the disaster he'd made while trying to locate the condom he was now trying to throw away. Quickly tossing it in to the wastebasket, Daryl grabbed a half burned candle from the table and lit it, so he could see well enough to clean up the items scattered across the floor.

After shoving the drawer back in to the nightstand, he shook his head in disbelief at himself while grabbing the scattered objects and putting them back where they belonged. He'd managed to go years without so much as a hand job from a woman and yet, barely forty eight hours after being back in Sam's bed he could barely go the night without becoming a frenzied mess when the prospect of sex with her was offered. My how the mighty had fallen, he thought.

Once the area was cleaned up, he turned back to Sam and found her staring up at him with exhaustion etched clear across her beautiful features. He opened his mouth to make a comment about how she had clearly not gotten the rest she had hoped for when dismissing him for the evening, when she yawned loudly.

"Don't look like you got much sleep last night?” Daryl inquired once Sam finished yawning loudly. Even in the pale flickering light of the nearby candle, the dark smudges of exhaustion beneath her eyes were noticeable. "Still upset about this weekend? Don't know what brought out the bitch in Sasha and Carol, or why they took it out on you." Which, of course, was a lie, because he did know what the problem was...Daryl just didn't feel like sharing the information with Sam, because it would likely make her lose more sleep by worrying about it.

“Not a wink.” Sam tried to stifle yet another yawn and failed. She hated to admit that she had gotten far too accustomed to having his body pressed to hers while she slept and without it, sleep was nothing but a tease. “And, no, it wasn't because of them...mostly it was because of you. Apparently I've got quite the issue, I can’t sleep without you, but I don’t want to sleep when you’re here...not when there are so many other things we could be doing in this bed when you're in it with me."

Truth was, Daryl hadn’t been able to sleep without her either, but his body was more adept than hers at staying awake for long stretches. Even before the outbreak, there had been times when he'd had to stay awake for days, riding the roads with his brother, delivering whatever goods were stashed away in their saddle bags without so much as a nap on the side of the highway. After the turn, his ability to focus and stay sharp while on the verge of exhaustion had become a key element in his survival.

Daryl cocked his head slightly to the side and studied her in the faint light of the room. "Why don't you get some rest? I can take Jacey to eat and run her up to the school after." He glanced over his shoulder at the window and noted that the rain outside had yet to subside and, in fact, judging by the gloomy appearance, he doubted they'd be seeing the sunlight at all that day. "Ain't shit I can do out in the woods today no how. I could come back after I drop off the kid."

"Well, that's the best idea I've heard in a long time." Sam smiled up at Daryl sleepily and reached out to grab hold of his shirt to pull him down for a kiss. It wasn't fair that he was still completely clothed, having kept on each item while they'd had sex, while she was as naked as the day she was born; with the exception of the knee socks she still had on. Sam slipped a hand beneath Daryl's shirt and ran her palm across the heated flesh beneath the soft material. She'd like nothing more than to tear that second hand shirt from his body and devour him once more, but the day was set to officially start soon. Since they didn't have the time to get entangled in one another's bodies, Sam forced herself to release her tight hold on Daryl and pulled her lips away from his. "But, if you come back and we end up here, in bed, we both know where that will lead...and it sure isn't sleep."

"Don't sound too bad to me." Daryl growled as he leaned over Sam and sucked her plump lower lip into his mouth, between his teeth. He tugged on it gently and only released his hold when Sam whimpered, a sound of pure lust and nothing more.

"Nope, not bad at all," Sam murmured, her voice husky with desire. "But, that was our last condom. We've managed to use up my entire stash this weekend. Not the most we've ever used, but more than I have went through in a long time."

"We, uh, went through boxes quickly back then. Pretty sure that old lady at the drug store thought I was some kinda pervert." Daryl chuckled softly as he recalled the time he'd had to make two separate trips to the local pharmacy in one week to stock up on protection. The blue haired elderly woman working the register both times had clucked her tongue at the purchases and given him one hell of a case of stink eye. "I can stop and get some after I drop Jacey off."

"Oh, I think not. That would just get all sorts of tongues wagging in town. Nope, I already have a plan and it doesn't involve you." In fact, procuring the protection wouldn't involve her either, if Sam got her way. She just had to track down Cassie and beg for a favor. "But, I will take you up on getting Jacey where she needs to go this morning. For some reason, I'm not sure my legs will cooperate with me just yet. Might have to lay around and rest for a little bit."

"Yeah, you do that. Rest up for later." The corner of Daryl's mouth lifted in a lascivious half grin as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'm gonna go smoke and I'll be back for the kid soon." Standing up, he made sure his pants were closed up and headed for the ladder, pausing midway and looking around the small area like he was searching for something. "You know what I did with my bow?"

"Didn't see it, but I wasn't really looking for it earlier either." Sam sat up in the bed and modestly clutched the bedsheet to her bare chest as though Daryl's hands and mouth hadn't been on them just moments before. "I don't think you had it when we got here."

"Shit. Left the damned thing downstairs then." Daryl cursed once more as he turned to go down the ladder. That bow had been like a part of his body since the outbreak, only losing it the one time while at Terminus, and now that he realized it wasn't with him Daryl felt as though he was missing a limb or other vital part of his anatomy.

Sam laid back down in the warm bed, taking no offense to how quickly Daryl had left once he realized he was missing his crossbow. Weapons were more important now than they'd ever been and he was clearly attached to that particular one. Frowning, Sam leaned up long enough to blow out the candle, before snuggling back beneath the blankets and falling asleep within a matter of seconds.

Outside, Daryl jogged down the stairs while mentally cursing himself for being so wrapped up in Sam that he'd left his weapon leaning against the wall in the middle of damned town. Of course, he wasn't lucky enough to be able to share that snafu with only Sam, because when he rounded the corner from the alley he found Rick leaning against the brick wall next to the crossbow he had stupidly left there.

"Figured you'd be back for it sooner or later." Rick drawled, somehow managing to keep a sarcastic tone out of the remark. He leaned down slightly, wrapped a hand around the bow and picked it up. There was a knowing gleam in his eyes as he handed the weapon back to Daryl. "Must've been pretty damn important to leave your bow."

"Yeah, must've." Daryl muttered gruffly in response, dipping his gaze low enough to not meet Rick's amused stare. He slipped the strap over his head and secured it over his torso, ensuring he wouldn't leave it behind when he returned to Sam's apartment to grab Jacey for breakfast. Reaching in to the pocket of his shirt, Daryl's fingers snagged the butt of a half smoked cigarette and promptly stuck it between his lips. He stared out in to the middle of town, watched the downpour of rain for a brief moment before lighting it and taking a deep drag. As the rain fell from the sky in thick sheets and the sound of thunder rumbled through the distance, Daryl cut a glance at Rick and said, "Don't look like none of us is getting much done today if this keeps up."

"Some of us more than others." Rick commented without missing a beat, smirking lightly at the glare he received from Daryl. "Hey, don't mean no offense. Just making an observation that some people will get more accomplished today than others."

Daryl glared at Rick with a look that plain as day said he didn't believe the words coming out of his mouth, but refrained from verbalizing as such. He rolled the cigarette butt between his forefinger and thumb, while glaring out into the empty street before them. "You hanging around just to babysit my bow, or is there another reason? Cassie stay at her place last night?"

"Uh, no, actually. She's back at my place." Thoroughly uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was heading, Rick pushed off the brick wall and walked to the edge of the sidewalk to peer down the street. "She was still asleep, didn't want to wake her to just come see the group off."

"So, the two of you? You, uh...serious?" Daryl felt like the proverbial older brother who was questioning the potential suitor of his little sister, which was exactly the way he felt about Cassie even though they had only just came back in to one another's lives. Even in the pale gray of the early morning light that was trying its best to filter through the thick blanket of dreary clouds in the sky, he didn't miss the sudden blush on Rick's face or the flash of happiness that he tried to smother. "Serious enough, huh?"

"I like her." Rick shrugged and continued to keep from making eye contact with Daryl, as though by simply doing so his friend would know exactly how he felt about the woman that had brought forth a sliver of hope in to his life; a glimmer of happiness and the whisper of a future that wasn't dank with misery. "Carl's obsessed with her. She's good with Judith."

"Of course Carl's obsessed with her, he's fifteen and Cassie's shaped like a real life Jessica Rabbit." Daryl chuckled as Rick coughed at his response, clearly caught off guard enough by the comparison of his girlfriend to the curvaceous cartoon that was a clear representation of Cassie Delaney; minus the formal wear and bright red hair. He rubbed out the ember of the finished cigarette on the nearby column and shoved the butt in to his pants pocket to dispose of later. "What? I may be with Sam, but I ain't dead or blind."

"Fair enough." Rick shoved a hand through the curly locks on his head that were in dire need of a trim. Uncomfortable with discussing the sexuality of Cassie, and a little afraid that he might embarrass the both of them by mentioning that his relationship with the buxom brunette had yet to venture towards anything further than a few kisses in the dark, a grope or two and snuggling before sleep, Rick changed the subject. "What about Carol? You thought about what she said yesterday?"

"Most of the night. She ain't happy and we both know what happens when Carol gets it in her head that her family ain't safe." Daryl didn't want to even put Carol's previous actions in to words, hated that they were even a thought in his head and did his best to push past the deceptive scheme she'd partaken in back at the prison. He understood that she was doing what she thought was the best course of action to protect the group, but that damn move had nearly gotten him and Rick killed by Tyrese. Carol had a tendency to act before she thought about the consequences and that wasn't safe for any of them. "Jim ain't gonna just let anyone walk on to the council. He's a stubborn son of a bitch and he don't much favor not being in control. Doubt the others on the council got much of a say so on what goes on, figure they ain't nothing but a good show. Jim runs this town, always has. Us being here ain't gonna change that none."

"I'm not going to lie or sugar coat my feelings towards Jim Collins. He seems like an ornery bastard that rarely puts anyone's feelings in front of his own, but town this size? Runs efficiently, as safe as a place can be these days? My feelings about the man aside...Jim can run a town." Rick leaned against the column next to Daryl and crossed his arms over his chest. "To be honest, it's nice to not have to be in charge. Out there, making all the difficult decisions regardless how everyone feels about what I decide? I'll do it if I have to, but I'd rather not...'least for a while."

"You're not wrong about Jim." Daryl agreed, his hands itched to seek out another smoke, but he knew the only thing in his pocket was a lighter and the butts he'd yet to throw out from the day before. "Time comes, Bo'll be the one goes up on the council. Collins is gonna have a Collins on the council, that ain't never gonna change."

"Like I said when we all voted to stay here, I want a safe place for my family. I want my kids to have a future. So long as this town runs the way it has been, I don't have a problem with not being in charge. Something changes? We'll discuss it then." Rick glanced towards the town hall, where the kitchen crew was slowly trickling in to start breakfast. He figured Carol was in the mix somewhere, fairly certain she mentioned being on the breakfast shift this week, and glanced back to Daryl. "Don't let her ruin what you've got with Sam. Second chances don't come around often, third ones certainly don't. You've got to stand up to Carol or she'll bring you down to where she is."

"She's had a rough run of it." Daryl muttered, as though the hardship that any of them had been through was excuse enough to treat others the way Carol and Sasha had been doing lately. While he was still pissed at Sasha for her blow up towards Sam at the bonfire, Daryl didn't find her to be a threat to Sam. Sasha was just being Sasha and let the heartbreak over Bob's death that she kept pent up inside finally spill over. Sasha was a hothead, brash and loud, but he doubted that she would ever do anything other than be a bitch towards anyone in the town unless her safety was threatened.

Carol, on the other hand, was a whole other cup of tea and definitely needed to be watched. Despite her soccer mom, minivan and freshly baked cookies appearance on the outside, the woman on the inside was calculating and hard; what she'd had to become after the outbreak and her husbands' death in order to survive in the world beyond the relative safety of the Collins town limits.

"I best be getting home. Got some ladies and a cranky teenager to wake up for breakfast." Rick smiled as he pushed off the column and stared up at the sky. "Rain's set in for the day. I'm sure you'll be able to find something to do since hunting's out of the picture, huh?" Without waiting for a reply from Daryl, knowing his friend well enough to know that the squinty eyed glare was the only response he'd be getting, Rick headed down the brick lined walkway towards his home; the actual structure of the house meaning little in regards to what 'home' meant.


	119. Chapter 119

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the reviews this week. I loved each and every one of them. When I come back to post next Sunday we'll only have 20 chapters left. :( I can't believe it's almost over.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_**Monday, April 23nd, 2012** _

 

"Remind me to thank Cassie later." Daryl murmured against her neck as she lay on top of him, utterly spent and thoroughly debauched. He was still buried inside of her body, his cock refusing to get the message that they had already had sex three times that day and it was more than okay to soften and relax a bit at this point.

"I think she was jealous." Sam said in response to Cassie procuring a box of condoms for them as she propped up on her hands and stared down at Daryl. Her skin tingled in the wake of his fingertips that were slowly tracing a random pattern across the bare skin of her back. Even in the faint golden flickering light from the table of candles beside them, she saw confusion in his eyes at her remark. "Please tell me you knew that her and Rick aren't doing it. Surely he's said something, right? Guys talk about that stuff don't they?"

"No. Guys only brag about getting it, we ain't too keen on telling anyone when she ain't putting out." Daryl rolled Sam over and slowly pulled out from her body; he somehow felt different, almost empty, when their bodies weren't joined. He quickly disposed of the used condom and returned to the bed beside Sam, pulling her small warm body against his to fill the void. "Something's telling me it ain't Cassie that's not giving it up though."

"Normally, given her um, boisterous sexual history, I'd say you're right...but I think it's both of them that's not on board with the sex." Sam slid her hand against Daryl's and slipped her fingers between his. His hard body was pressed up against hers, the hairs on his chest tickled her back and the ever present ache between her thighs was mounting with each passing second that his hardened member stayed thrust between their bodies, nestled against the crack of her ass. "I think Cassie's scared, I really do. This is uncharted territory for her, you know? Relationships aren't normally her thing. Closest thing she's had to a boyfriend was with my brother and whatever that freak show relationship was, it wasn't real. Tyler is incapable of loving someone other than himself. I think Cassie's let that whole thing get to her honestly."

"Rick ain't exactly the poster child for a stable relationship." Daryl used his nose to push aside a thick lock of dark gold locks so he could nuzzle the back of Sam's neck. "He and Lori had problems long before he got shot. That woman messed him up something good, I tell you. She was a fucking piece of work, that one. He and Cassie probably just need some time. Whatever they got going on could be good for the both of 'em, they just gotta figure that out on their own."

Sam whimpered and licked her lips, the teasing feel of Daryl's hot breath ghosting over the ticklish part of her neck was causing the tension low in her belly to build once more. In a bold move, a characteristic she only possessed when it came to sexual relations with Daryl, she slid their joined hands down her body towards the aching apex at the juncture of her thighs; sliding their hands over her breasts, past the ridge of her ribs, and down her flat belly until they reached the moist heat nestled below her golden curls. She flattened Daryl's palm against those curls and covered his hand with her own before pressing their fingers down on the tingling nub that begged for his touch.

"Damn, again?" Daryl asked huskily when Sam dipped his fingers to slide into the wet heat between her thighs. Not that he was complaining about his wife being as insatiable as he was, it had always been that way between the two of them in bed...or the couch...or the yard... or wherever they were when the need arose and they gave in to the demands of their bodies; it had just been a long time since he had allowed himself to recall the memory of their sexual desire. The constant ache for Sam was a craving solely awarded to her, his body had never desired another woman the way it demanded his wife. Daryl prayed the same could be said for Sam, but the insecurity that plagued him wouldn't allow him to ask.

"I can't help it. I've got a lot of years without you to make up for." Sam arched back against him and moaned deeply when his still hard cock slid between her thighs and pressed insistently against her opening. She released her hand from his and spread her thighs, easing one leg over the outer edge of his leg to give him better access to her body. She slid her hand over his shaft and pressed the silken hot flesh against her slit, sliding the hardened member over her moisten folds.

With his right arm, Daryl groped frantically around behind their bodies for the box of condoms that were somewhere on the bed beside them and cursed gruffly when his fingers failed to grab hold of the box before it tumbled on to the floor. His hips jutted forward forcefully when Sam tightened her hold on his cock, desire shot through his body and demanded to be satiated at least for the moment. Daryl angled his body backwards slightly and smacked his hand at the torn box, trying to get at least a smidgen of purchase on the torn top to pull it close enough to grab an edge, but the sound of the alarm clock they'd had the forethought to set rang through the air and signaled that their time for wanton sex had come to an end; at least until that evening.

"Nooooo!" Sam cried out pitifully, only mildly embarrassed at the whiny tone in her voice. She did, however, chastise herself for even thinking about continuing on with their next round of sex while her daughter waited at the school for her escort. Definitely not the thoughts of a responsible parent, or maybe it was only irresponsible if she gave in to her whims? "It can't possibly be time to pick up Jacey yet. I only just got you back in bed."

"Guess we slept longer than we thought." Regret flooded his body as he slid his cock from between Sam's thighs, his skin growing cold once it was no longer nestled against the heat of her body. He brushed a kiss across her shoulder, added in a playful bite, before rolling over to start getting dressed. "It's still raining good. I'll go get Jace. Ain't no reason for all of us to get wet."

"I'm already wet." Sam replied quickly without thinking about what she was saying. A giggle escaped her mouth a split second before she smacked a hand over her lips. Her hair was mussed and skin was glowing with happiness, but a deep red hue settled over her cheeks when Daryl turned his head at her comment and lecherously stared at her. The blush only intensified when he reached for her, slid the tips of his fingers between her thighs and slipped them over the moistened folds of the aching heat of her sex; dipping the pad of one finger teasingly between them teasingly. When he pulled those fingers back and licked them clean, one by one, slow enough to have her heart pounding in anticipation of having his tongue do the same thing to her body, Sam whimpered with need. "Not fair. So not fair."

"I ever tell you how sweet you taste?" Daryl leaned over Sam and brushed his lips across hers, letting her taste her own desire. His lips fluttered against hers when he spoke, "Taste like fucking honey. Always have."

"I swear, if I had a phone I'd call someone to go get Jacey and lock you in this apartment all night...or week maybe." Sam rolled over on to her side when Daryl returned to the task of getting dressed. She frowned when he eased off the bed long enough to yank on the crumpled pants that were in a heap on the floor and cut off her loving visual appraisal of his naked ass. She could tell by the way he leaned over that he was going to put on his boots before his shirt, which meant she had a few more minutes to glide her hands over his naked torso.

She sat up and scooted across the bed until she was next to him and put one leg on either side of his hips before leaning over and pressing a trail of kisses along his spine. When she reached the top of his back, she blinked and stared at the tattoos on his shoulder blade. She had, obviously, noticed the ink days before, but hadn't quite gotten around to mentioning it, since the majority of their naked time had been spent otherwise occupied in the carnal sense. Glancing up from where her finger traced over the black inked wing of one of the demons, she pointed out. "You know, most people work to hide their demons, but you just put them out there for the world to see. I guess I should know by now that you're not like everyone else though, huh?"

"Got 'em after I left. Ended up in this hole in the wall tattoo shop up near Atlanta with Merle, three sheets in the wind and feeling pretty shitty about myself. Seemed like a good idea at the time." Boots momentarily forgotten, the feel of Sam's naked body pressed up against him causing his brain to focus on her and momentarily forget that he was supposed to be halfway to the school to pick up Jacey at that moment. He reached up and slid a hand over the one Sam had lightly covering the creatures on his shoulder. "Figured they was gonna haunt me forever anyhow, might as well own up to 'em."

"I like them. They fit you, dark and beautiful...just like you." Sam pressed a kiss to the top of Daryl's hand. She heard the disbelieving scoff he let out and chose to ignore it. Daryl would never believe her declaration of his beauty, inside and out, because once you're broken it was easier to believe the bad things about yourself, rather than the good. She understood that, but it pained her when Daryl thought less of himself. "Some people say that demons are angels that have been kicked out of heaven, so it makes sense that they'd still be beautiful, I guess."

His hand moved his shoulder and, with it, so did hers as Daryl pulled her hand down to his lap and clasped it tightly. A dark curtain of hair blocked his face from her, but Sam didn't need to see him to know the beauty hidden behind his locks; she had loved that face for thirteen years, and dreamed about it every night when he was no longer in her life.

Daryl released her hand and leaned over to grab his boots and the golden glow from the candles spilled across his back. Even though she had seen the scars that crisscrossed the pale skin countless times, Sam couldn't hold back the sharp intake of breath at the sight of them at that moment. It didn't matter how often she saw the marred skin caused by his father, her heart broke a little each time she was reminded of the pain Daryl had suffered. Raising her hand, Sam trailed a solitary fingertip over one of the worst scars and felt the burning sear of anger start to scorch her deep inside. Leaning forward, she brushed her lips softly along the trail her fingertip had just made and laid her cheek against Daryl's back. "I wanted to kill him." Sam murmured, her admittance barely above a whisper. "Your father, when I realized who he was...I wanted to grab my daddy's shotgun and put a couple of slugs straight in to his chest. I wanted to make him pay for what he did to you. I wanted him to suffer."

His boots were on, but untied, but Daryl couldn't make himself lean over to fix them. Instead, his hands raised and covered Sam's, where she had placed them on his chest as she hugged him from behind. Silence filled the little room and the feel of Sam's tears were warm against his back as she whispered about how much she hated his father and how badly she wanted to make him pay for all the pain he had caused. Swallowing the lump in his throat, completely unprepared for the emotional declaration Sam had just shared, Daryl kept his hands on top of hers, both of their hands covering his heart protectively. "I'm glad you didn't. Not 'cause he didn't deserve it, but because I wouldn't have wanted you to suffer because of it. And, Jacey needed a mom, needed someone that would be there for her, love her and take care of her. If you'd have killed my dad then she wouldn't have had that." Daryl kept his eyes glued to the dresser across the room from him, if he turned to look in to Sam's eyes then the tears that burned in his own would surely spill over. "She'd have been taken by the state and I'd have never known her. My dad's out there somewhere, but Jacey's the only family I got now."

"You have family, Daryl. You have me. You've got Cassie." Sam slid her arms away from his chest and slipped around his body until she could force Daryl to look at her, the tears sparkling in his eyes caused her own to slip down her cheeks. "But you've got so much more than just us, don't you see that? You've got Rick and his kids, Maggie and Glenn, and the rest of that group. They're your family now. Blood makes you related, that's it. It doesn't make you family. Loyalty, trust, commitment, that's what makes you family and you've got that in spades now. You're not alone, Daryl. You're not going to be alone ever again. Not if I have any say in the matter."


	120. Chapter 120

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_**Previously...** _ Let's face it, last week's chapters were mostly just sex, with a few scenes between Sam and Daryl to show them getting closer.

 

_**Monday, April 23nd, 2012** _

They finally managed to go their separate ways, at least for the time being. Dinner wasn't too far off and Sam had been badgered by Daryl in to promising to be at the table to eat with them, instead of scurrying off to hide on stage or in the kitchen or locked away in her apartment in order to avoid seeing Carol and Sasha. While she would have preferred to continue avoiding those two particular women, the threat of not having Daryl in her bed, wrapped in his arms that night was enough to have her relenting to his demands.

While Daryl went to the school to pick up Jacey, Sam headed to the auditorium in hopes that an hour on stage with her music would be enough to sort through some of the emotions running rampant inside her at the moment. She darted through the rain, having sent her umbrella along with Daryl for Jacey to use, and used the closest open door she found, which unfortunately turned out to be the kitchen. Cringing, she pulled her shoulders back and forced her feet to move forward, while mentally praying that Carol wasn't working in the kitchen that afternoon. She crossed the threshold and silently said a thank you that Carol wasn't laboring over the hot stoves in the kitchen.

"I was beginning to wonder if I needed to send in the troops to extract you from that dreary apartment." Donna smiled over her shoulder at her daughter, who hadn't made it to either meal that day and had to be starving by now; unless she had been snacking on the prepackaged junk food she kept stored in the cabinet above the non-functioning refrigerator that she thought no one knew about. "We've still got a good hour and a half until dinner is ready, but if you're hungry I’m sure I can find something for you, baby girl."

"I'm fine, Mom. Thanks anyway." Sam leaned a hip against the counter next to her mother and snagged a raw carrot off the chopping board since it was lying there. "And, I went out today. Cassie came by before lunch and went to pick up the music supplies the guys found for me on the last run." Not only had she scored a full box of condoms, Sam had gotten some much needed guitar strings, three books of sheet music and a beautiful violin that she could barely wait to get her hands on when she had some free time, maybe that weekend when Jacey was spending time with her brother.

"Did you think about what we talked about last night?" Donna asked curiously, leaning closer to her daughter and lowering her voice for a bit of privacy. "About the right choices not always being the easiest ones?"

"I have and you will be glad to know that I have decided to try things out your way." Sam fiddled with the carrot stick in her hand and smiled at the look of pure satisfaction on her mother's face. Pointing the carrot stick at her mother, Sam narrowed her eyes and said, "That does not mean you've got any fat grandkids in the near future, so wipe that look of your face."

"We'll see." Donna smiled knowingly as she dumped a pile of chopped vegetables in to the simmering broth. "You're no spring chicken and Daryl's nearly over the hill, might wanna get a jump on things!" She chuckled softly at her comment, like she hadn't been forty-three years old when she had finally gotten pregnant with Samantha, and her husband had barely been two years older than her. But, she did remember the pregnancy being harder on her due to her age, the constant worry that something would be physically or mentally wrong with Sam because of it, and the strain of exhaustion of trying to raise a baby when most women her age were going through a mid-life crisis. All of which, she wanted Sam to avoid, if possible.

"Give us a chance to figure out how to be a couple again before we start adding more stress to the mix, okay?" Sam chomped on the carrot and swallowed the last bit of it, before leaning in to brush a kiss over her mother's cheek. "I'm going to go work for a little while."

Bidding her mother farewell, Sam snagged another tiny sliver of carrot of the board before weaving through the bustling activity of the kitchen and heading towards the stage. She was halfway through the auditorium when her luck ran out and Carol appeared in front of her. Cursing softly, Sam froze in place and considered her options, stay and fight or flee for safety. Neither option sounded good to her, but she would rather be known as someone who stood up for herself instead of as a coward. She straightened her shoulders, squared them off to the inevitable attack, and continued forward in hopes that Carol would decide to let bygones be bygones and pass by without incident.

"Well, look who decided to finally make an appearance today." Carol smiled and it almost looked genuine, had the gesture made it to the eyes that could only be considered calculating and cold. "Not that I blame you for hiding out, you've had a rough weekend and it is nasty out."

"Yes, well, I promised Daryl I'd be here for dinner when he and Jacey are done with her first crossbow lesson over at the school gym." Sam returned the saccharine smile, one that actually reached her eyes and wasn't completely a false gesture. She stepped to the right slightly and moved to go past Carol, but was stopped in her tracks by what came out of the woman's mouth next.

"The two of you have been spending a lot of time together. That’s kind of odd for two people that are divorced and haven't seen one another in over a decade, don't you think?" Carol glanced over her shoulder, clearly making sure that Sam had stopped to listen to what she had to say. Turning around, a slow measured movement, that ended with her arms crossed over her chest and stared at Sam's back.

"Yes, well, we do have a common interest. Jacey wants to get to know her brother and I have no intention of not letting that happen." Sam took a deep breath and forced herself to turn back to face Carol, instead of retreating to the relative safety of the stage. "When there's a kid involved, the rules change."

"That's true, and few would be the bigger person in that situation, but I guess it's not like she's really your daughter, right? I’m sure the situation is different in that case." Carol tilted her head and glared at Sam, obviously trying to read her reaction to the comment regarding Jacey's parentage. "I just find it a bit strange, that's all. I mean, Daryl never even mentioned you to any of us. He told me plenty about his past, about his father, and yet, when it came to former relationships he claimed to have none. Then we show up here and everything changes, it just seems like it happened a little too fast. Even you can't deny that, Sam."

"I'm not denying anything." Sam narrowed her gaze at Carol and took a step forward. "Why don't you go ahead and spit out whatever it is you think you need to say to me, Carol? Because I don't have all night, I do have plans for the rest of the evening." She so badly wanted to say exactly what those plans entailed, that once dinner was over and her daughter was tucked in to bed, she fully intended to spend the remainder of the night entangled in Daryl's arms, but she wasn't ready to put that out there just yet.

"Okay then, the other night at the bonfire, after Sasha made you cry and run away, Daryl said something that really got me thinking about what's going on between the two of you." Carol removed her arms from across her chest and slid her hands in to the front pockets of the heather gray slacks she wore; ones that she had pressed by hand with an antique iron that had to be heated on a bed of hot coals. "He pointed out just how influential you are in this town, something that the rest of us hadn't paid the slightest bit of attention to...I mean, you don't appear to be that intimidating just looking at you, but then again, sometimes even the meekest can be the strongest, right? "

"Me? Influential? How so?" Truly intrigued now, Sam furrowed her brow and shook her head. "I don't have any rank here, you know that. I'm just the entertainment around here, you pointed that out yourself."

"So, if you told your father that you didn't want Daryl here, Big Jim wouldn't kick him out of town? And the rest of us because we're with him? Guilt by association and all." Carol took another step forward and closed the gap between them by enough that Sam's heart rate spiked nervously. Just looking at the woman one would think she was just a middle-aged soccer mom thrown in to the middle of the apocalypse, but there was something beneath her pressed slacks and flower printed cardigan...a cold, menacing look that she hid well for the most part, that had Sam on edge. "Because that's what Daryl told us and while he has many faults, lying to us has never been one of them."

"Just because my father would have told Daryl to leave if I asked him to, doesn't mean the rest of you would be asked to follow him. And, it's a moot point anyway, because I didn't ask my dad to do that." Sam took a step back and hated that she let the woman get her nerves rattled to the point that she retreated slightly; a sure sign of fear in the animal kingdom. "So, what's got you so upset by what could have happened, since it's not going to happen? I'm not asking anyone to leave."

"I just wanted to confirm my suspicions that Daryl was willing to do whatever it took to keep our family safe, and he did just that. Being here hasn’t changed him as much as I thought it had." Carol's smile widened and the look of pure satisfaction in her eyes caused a sinking feeling in Sam's stomach. "He knew what needed to be done to ensure that we would be allowed to stay in this town. By getting on your good side, by sucking up to you and making you feel safe around him, our group can continue to live and survive in Collins."

"That's not...I mean, Daryl wouldn't do that." Sam shook her head and even she recognized the thick disbelief in her words. She wrapped her arms around her stomach, as though that simple gesture would cause the churning in her belly to stop.

"Oh, come on, Samantha, don't be stupid. We women have a hard enough time in the world as it is without playing the naive card." Carol closed the gap between them and rested one hand on Sam's shoulder, a move that caused her to jump at the touch. "Even you've said you hadn't heard hide nor hair out of him since he walked out on you twelve years ago. He never mentioned you to me or Rick, people he has fought beside, bled with and nearly died for and not once did he even hint that he had once been married. And then we stumble across this town, Daryl sees you again and then every day it's 'he's sorry for what happened, hates that he walked out on you, wishes things were different'? Daryl's a wild thing, Sam. He's not the loving husband or doting father you've got imagined in your pretty little head. Daryl's meant for this world, he's destined to go out fighting and killing, not playing house with his ex-wife."

"I...I need to go now." Sam whispered. She felt physically ill and wanted nothing more than to be away from the woman that was causing the pain in her heart at the moment. Surely what she was saying wasn't true, right? Daryl wouldn't waltz back in to her life, her bed and her heart just to ensure the safety of the members of his group, or would he? Twelve years had passed between them and a lot had happened during that time. She wasn't the same little girl he walked out on, so why did she believe that he was the same man that she had fallen in love with so long ago?

"Maybe I'm wrong, maybe he really does want to repair whatever relationship it was the two of you had. I just don't see it, that’s not the Daryl I know. We women have to stick together, we need to protect one another and make sure that the men don't walk all over us and treat us like we're nothing more than their cooks and maids." Carol clucked her tongue disapprovingly and patted Sam's shoulder once more, as though the tender feeling of her bony hand would ever comfort anyone. "You know what? Just forget what I said, okay? Maybe I'm wrong."

Nodding her head in response, because she wasn't sure she wouldn't start sobbing the second she opened her mouth, Sam yanked her shoulder out from beneath Carol's hand and spun on her heel quickly. She darted towards the hallway without glancing backwards and thus, missed the pleased look on Carol's face as she ran down the darkened hallway towards the side entrance to the stage. Sam yanked open the door and slammed it shut behind her and ran up the stairs. Her toe caught the edge of the top step and sent her sprawling across the cool wood floor ungracefully. As she laid there in the near dark, only the fading light from the skylights in the auditorium filtering in around the edge of the curtain, she could no longer contain the tears that leaked down her cheeks and fell to the floor. Surely that horrible woman was wrong about Daryl and his intentions towards her, surely he wasn't that calculating and coldhearted, right?

As a steady stream of moisture leaked from her eyes, Sam prayed that everything she had just heard was a falsehood, because if it wasn't she was in for a whole new level of heartache...a level of deceit she was certain her heart would never recover from.


	121. Chapter 121

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The real 121st chapter. I didn't realize I double posted yesterday. Whoops. Any who, time to fix some things around camp!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Monday, April 23nd, 2012**  
_

 

Sam swiped her hands over the moisture on her face and cringed at the amount of tears she found there. A wave of anger washed over her at the crying pile of snotty mess that Carol had caused and while she was unfamiliar with the concept of unleashing said rage out on someone, the whole notion was quite appealing at the moment. With a full head of determined steam, Sam crawled to her feet and stormed off the stage in the direction she had just come from.

"Carol, may I talk to you in private for a moment, please?" Sam said as politely as humanly possible since her mother was shooting curious stares at her from across the kitchen. Her jaw was firm and shoulders squared as she backed up in to the empty auditorium and waited for Carol to follow.

"I don't have too long, dinner is running behind tonight." Carol wiped her hands on the dishtowel hanging from the apron tied around her waist. "I'm not sure your mother is up to this much work to be honest, maybe you should talk to her about slowing down some or retiring all together? Surely she'd listen to you."

"Shut up." Sam surprised even herself by uttering those particular words, but was pleased to see the same shock flicker across Carol's face upon hearing them. "All you do is moan and complain about other people, what they can and can't do, how well they do things or how much they're screwing things up. Have you always been so judgmental and miserable or is it just something that being in Collins has brought out in you?" Sam paused, but not long enough for Carol to answer the question that was clearly rhetorical in nature. "I don't know why you hate me, because I am pretty sure I've done nothing to you to deserve it, but I’m a big enough person to apologize for whatever it is you've got against me."

"I don't hate you, Sam. I don't even know what gave you that impression. I've merely been trying to understand you." Carol explained, even though both women knew it was a pathetic attempt to cover her distaste for Sam. "And, our talk earlier was just to figure out what's going on with you and Daryl, which we both know is suspicious at best. I'm just trying to be a friend and keep you from getting hurt by him again, we both know that men don't change."

"What part of shut up did you not understand?" Sam snapped. Her gaze flickered past Carol, to where it appeared the entire kitchen staff was peering through the glass window in the door, trying to get a glimpse at what was going on between the two women. "You had your turn at talking, now it's mine. I’ll say my apology because that’s the way I was raised, but frankly…I don't care if you don't like me, I don't even care if you hate me. I don't need everyone in the world to like me. So long as the ones I care about love me, then that's all I need.

"Now, I understand if maybe you're upset because I seem to have so much in spite of the world having so little these days? I get that. I still have the majority of my family and you've lost yours. I can see how that could make someone dislike me, but...you know, I'm not sure that's the real reason." Sam took a step towards Carol and was pleased when the woman took a step backwards, like she had made Sam do earlier. "I think you're jealous. Plain and simple case of the ugly green monster rearing its head because Daryl suddenly has someone in his life that's not you. The two of you have shared a lot, you've no doubt told him every little detail of your life and yeah, he told you about the abuse his father dished out to him when he was a kid, so you thought you knew everything about him. Then, all of the sudden, you find out that he had a wife and a little baby girl that he lost and you're upset that he didn't share that with you, too? Is that it?"

"Did you ever stop to think about what I might have had with Daryl before we unfortunately ended up in this town, out of all the damned towns in Georgia? You think he's been pining away for you? You think someone like Daryl hasn't been out screwing whatever came along to bide his time?" Carol sneered and stood her ground as Sam took another step forward.

"So, you're saying that you and Daryl were involved? That's why you're upset and have been taking your anger out on me instead of him?" Sam uncrossed her arms and let them hang down by her sides; fists clenched in anger. "Because that's not what he told me."

"And you just believe everything he says? Men lie, honey. That's what they're good at." Carol scoffed at the naivety of the woman standing before her, even though the story she was trying to peddle was a lie in itself. "Hell, he was shacked up with Beth not long ago, one can only imagine what they were doing out there, all by themselves. Younger than you, prettier than you, that's all they're ever looking for...the newer model."

"No, he wasn’t lying to me. Daryl has a lot of faults, but he doesn't lie to me about that." Sam shook her head side to side, but kept her eyes on Carol the entire time; unblinking, unwavering. While she was more than aware of Daryl's ability to bend the truth, she fully believed him when it came to who he had and had not been screwing. She didn't know why, but her belief was there...even when it came to the redhead she'd accused him of cheating on her with so many years ago. Sam never truly believed he'd cheated on her, but the pain in her heart used it as yet another excuse to throw on to the pile of hurt they'd had between them after Emily's death. "What I do believe though, is that you're jealous. Not of me, not of Beth, or anyone else Daryl may have been with. I think you’re resentful because he's never chosen you. That sucks, but it's not my problem. It's yours, Carol. And, I will thank you to leave me the hell out of your issues."

Sam was itching for a fight, even though she had never been in one and wouldn't know how to properly throw a punch even if she had to; despite the crash course in self-defense that Cassie had attempted to teach her after the outbreak. Thankfully, Carol didn't do anything other than stand there and stare at Sam with a mix of anger and shock in her eyes. Completely finished with dealing with the woman, Sam turned on her heel and started to stalk across the auditorium, but glanced over her shoulder to add one final comment. "And, I'll have you know that my mother can run circles around you in that kitchen. So, until she's ready to give up her position, you can just make yourself happy in the same pants you got pissy in about the way things are done in there."

Once she in the hallway and was out of the line of sight of Carol's beady eyes, Sam leaned against the wall and tried to calm herself down; her hands shook and catching her breath was difficult after treading in unfamiliar waters. After a few moments, she opened her eyes and pushed away from the wall, fully intending on trying to salvage what time she had left before dinner by working on her music, but instead turned to find Sasha standing in front of the doorway staring at her with wide eyes. "Oh, for God's sake, are you here to start in on me, too? Why can't I get a break lately?"

"No, I'm not here to start anything, I promise." Sasha slowly approached Sam, her brown eyes wide and full of sincerity. "I just came by to talk to you...to apologize for the other night. I've been having a hard time lately, adjusting to a somewhat normal life after what we went through before coming here and I took it out on you. I was out of line and I'm sorry."

There were few things like a sincere apology to dampen the flames of anger. Sam laughed softly in spite of everything and offered the woman an honest to goodness smile. "Thank you for that, Sasha. I needed it, really."

"I don't even know why I took it out on you. That's the crazy thing." Sasha shook her head and shrugged her shoulders as she searched for a valid excuse that wasn't there. "I'd been with Ryan and we talked about his cousin for a while, rambled about our majors a bit, but for the most part he just kept going on and on about you and I honestly think that's what set it off for me."

Sam couldn't believe what she was hearing, because it sounded like another woman in Daryl's group was acting like a bitch because she was jealous. What were the odds? "So, Ryan was talking about me and it upset you? Because you like him?"

"No, that's what's so weird, I don't like Ryan...not that way. He's great and obviously very attractive, but he's just not it for me." Sasha's voice caught, hitched on the emotion that was welling inside of her. "I lost someone before we came here, someone that meant a lot to me. I lost Bob, we had barely had a chance to be more, before he was gone, you know? I’m lucky enough to still have Tyrese, but I’ve lost everyone else in my life…and then we come here and, I don’t know, I guess I just got reminded how much I’ve lost. Then, there was you and you’ve got everything the rest of us have lost and it upset me. How petty is that?"

At a loss for words, Sam chewed on her bottom lip and tried to figure out something to say to the young woman to console her. When two tears streaked from Sasha's big brown eyes, Sam realized there was only one thing she could do. Stepping forward, she wrapped her arms around Sasha's thin frame and hugged her tightly; clearly surprising her because it took several shaky breaths before the hug was returned. Holding on to the woman she barely knew, Sam decided it felt good to be the one offering comfort and not being the one crying.

"Thanks. I...I don't know how you could do that. Hug me after the way I treated you." Sasha commented after she pulled away from the comfort Sam offered freely. She scrubbed her hands over her face quickly to remove the stray tears that hadn't leaked down on to the now damp shoulder of Sam's shirt. "I’m so sorry, Sam. Truly, I am…I should never have assumed anything about your life, your loss.” Sasha paused and sighed, knowing there was no way she could adequately convey just how sorry she was for verbally attacking Sam. After a few moments of awkward silence, she offered a slight smile and said, “Ryan said all I had to do was apologize and mean it."

"Well, he knows me pretty well by now. Are you going to be okay?" Sam rubbed her hand up and down Sasha's bare arm and smiled up at her; happy to see at least a little bit of happiness in her eyes.

"I think I will be...eventually."

Sam wondered what had happened to Sasha's Bob, but didn't want to ask right out, figuring if she wanted her to know she'd have said by now. The lights flickered on above them, signaling that night was not far off, and broke the spell between them. Sasha took a step back towards the exit at the end of the hallway and Sam took that as her cue to continue on to whatever she was about to do before their conversation. Before Sasha could disappear out of the exit, Sam called out to her and said, "If you ever need to talk or anything, feel free to find me. I've been told I give a pretty mean shoulder to cry on."

"I may just take you up on that." Sasha smiled, a watery gesture since the tears were still welled up in her eyes. As she stepped out on to the covered patio, Sasha thought for the first time in a long time that she might just be okay one day...and that thought alone relieved some of the strain on her heart.


	122. Chapter 122

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the reviews! I'll be back Saturday night with an update.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_Monday, April 23nd, 2012_

 

The side door to the stage opened and had it not been for the squeak of a hinge in dire need of a greasing, Sam wouldn’t have paid the intrusion any attention. Instantly annoyed by the distraction, the feeling faded away when she realized that it was Daryl entering the room. Sam laid the guitar down on to the floor next to her feet and smiled brightly at him as he crossed the room towards her. Realizing that his presence meant that dinner had undoubtedly arrived and was in progress enough that her absence was noticed, Sam cringed, “How late am I?”

“Not much.” Daryl shrugged one shoulder lightly as he came to a rest in front of Sam. “You still hiding out? Carol ain’t out there, your mom’s got her doing something in the kitchen.”

“I’m not hiding out, just trying to get these lyrics that have been running through my head put to music and lost track of time.” Sam shoved her pencil in to the notebook to mark her page and dropped it on to the floor next to the guitar and stood up. She wasn’t lying when she said she wasn’t hiding out, inspiration had struck about a half of a second after she had finally made it on to the stage and she desperately wanted to get the music she wanted for the song out of her head and onto paper before she lost it.

“You’re gonna have to come out of here at some point and stop letting Carol get to you. It ain’t good for you to sit up here and not eat.” Daryl frowned at Sam as his mind recalled just how thin her frame had become. While his hands thoroughly enjoyed exploring each and every part of her body, there was no denying that her hip bones jutted out a little too sharply and her ribs were far too visible. Hell, even the blue jeans that had hugged her hips and ass when he’d first stumbled in to town now seemed a little on the loose side.

“Don’t mother me, Daryl. I’ve already got one of those.” Sam smiled softly up at Daryl as she leaned in against him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Peering up at him with a sparkle of happiness in her eyes, she said, “I’ve got a little mojo going in the creativity department, I don’t want to lose it. I promise I’ll eat something before I go home. Cross my heart.” Easing up on to the tips of her toes, Sam brushed a gentle kiss across his lips, before stepping away from his embrace; eager to get back to work. “Plus, Carol and I reached an agreement of sorts this afternoon. So, when I say I’m not hiding out, it’s because I’m not.”

“Yeah, heard something happened between you two.” Daryl watched as Sam returned to her seat and immediately grabbed for her notebook and pencil. He could tell when he was being dismissed, having had a great deal of experience in dealing with Sam’s creative years ago, but that didn’t mean he liked it when she pushed him aside. “You gonna tell me what went on or not?”

“Can we talk later? I promise to tell you all the grisly details, but I really want to get this song worked out.” Guitar now in her lap, Sam looked up at Daryl with her notebook in her hand, clearly ready to get back to work. “Tell Jacey to come up when she’s done eating, okay?”

Daryl only nodded as there was no reason to verbalize his response since Sam’s attention was already focused solely on the notebook in her hand. He headed towards the side door and had his hand on the knob when he heard Sam call out to him. Glancing over his shoulder, he asked, “Yeah?”

“You’re still coming over tonight, right?” She didn’t know why she felt the need to confirm that he still intended to come over after Jacey went to bed, especially since they had already discussed the plans earlier in the day. When he said that the plans hadn’t changed, Sam grinned like a drunken fool at the flutter of butterflies in her stomach. My how things had changed for the two of them in just a couple of short weeks, and Sam had to admit that despite a few bumps and bruises, she was happy with that change.

Daryl returned to the table with his group at the same time Carol was sitting down with her plate of food. Even though Sam claimed that an agreement had been reached between the two of them, he couldn’t help but feel a little glad that she’d stayed up on the stage after all, despite her need to eat. Meals had grown stressful enough with just him, Rick and Carol glaring at one another, and adding Sam to the mix was a catalyst he honestly didn’t want to deal with at the moment.

He could feel Carol’s eyes on him as he reclaimed his seat next to Jacey, but kept his attention focused on his little sister instead of giving in and meeting the eyes of one of his oldest friends. Hell, he didn’t even know if they were friends anymore, to be honest. The way Carol had been acting lately towards him certainly didn’t check any boxes in the friendship category. Of course, it wasn’t her attitude towards him that worried, Daryl. He could deal with the stares, accusations of laziness and subsequent cold shoulder, he’d handled worse from the people he cared about his entire life. No, it wasn’t Carol’s behavior towards him that bothered Daryl, it was the way she was treating Sam that pissed him off. He wanted to know what had happened between her and Sam that afternoon and luckily, he knew exactly who would be able to fill him in on what happened. Unfortunately, the dinner table was still full of curious ears and Cassie lacked the ability to whisper efficiently.

As soon as Jacey was finished with her meal, Daryl sent her off to the stage as per Sam’s request and slid in to his sister’s seat when she was gone so he could talk to Cassie without the rest of the table overhearing. Leaning in towards her, his voice was low and full of gravel as he demanded to know the whole story, “Tell me what went on with Sam and Carol.”

“I believe the word you’re looking for is, please?” Cassie chastised Daryl with a playful tone to her voice. She leaned forward, clearly eager to spill the juicy gossip and didn’t bother to wait for Daryl to amend his request by saying please. “So, here’s what I heard from Lucy, she’s the red head that works in the kitchen, and she wasn’t the only one who saw what went on…nope, every single person in there heard. Even Sam’s mom!” Cassie paused long enough to glance down the table to where Carol was talking with Michonne, making sure that she wasn’t paying attention to the conversation at the other end of the table, and continued when it was obvious no one was watching them.

As quickly as possible, and as quietly as her enthusiasm would allow, Cassie explained in as much detail as she could since she wasn’t there everything that happened that afternoon between Sam and Carol. When she reached the end, Cassie’s eyes were wide and her smile was as bright as the sun. “I can’t believe it! And, I fucking hate I missed it! Sam told her off, Daryl. Told her to stick her nose in her own damned business and leave you and her out of it. Can you believe it? Our Sam! I’m so fucking proud, I could kiss that woman on the mouth!”

When Cassie finished, Daryl leaned back in his seat and felt a strange combination of pride and anger swirling inside him. He wanted to march up on to the stage and tell Sam just how proud he was of her for sticking up for herself, but on the other hand, his protective nature was urging him to walk to the end of the table and yell at Carol for starting in on Sam again. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sounds of Sam playing the guitar coming from behind the stage curtain; the steady strum of each chord let him know that she was confident what she was playing.

_“Taking down your neighbor won’t take you any higher…I burned my own damn finger poking someone else’s fire...I’ve never gotten taller by making someone else feel small….If you ain’t got nothing nice to say, don’t say nothing at all.”_

The need to make a decision was pushed aside when the sound of Sam’s voice came bellowing from the stage and out in to the auditorium as she loudly sang along to the strum of her guitar. She had clearly gotten far enough in the song writing process to belt out a few lines and damn if the lyrics didn’t put a grin on his face. His Sam was dealing with her emotions the only way she knew how and was intent on letting Carol know exactly how she felt about the situation. Realizing there was nothing more he needed to do other than keep his usual protective eye on the woman he loved, Daryl settled in to listen to Sam’s latest creation that was oddly enough not about him or their relationship.

_“Just hoe your own roe and raise your own babies…Smoke your own smoke and grow your own daisies….Mend your own fences and own your own crazy…Mind your own biscuits and life will be gravy…Mind your own biscuits and life will be gravy.”_

“I was wrong, that right there is Sam giving Carol a great big ol’ pile of Fuck You.” Cassie snorted at her own comment, but paled when she heard Donna Collins’s chastising her for cursing. Cringing, Cassie sheepishly glanced over her shoulder to look at Sam’s mother and said, “I’m sorry, Mrs. C, I uh, was just pointing out that Sam was doing her thing. You know, letting someone know how she feels about them by singing.”

“I know, Cassie, and I’d say that’s a pretty fair observation.” A smile cracked in Donna’s stern expression. When she had been told about the animosity Carol was stirring up with Sam, she’d had to force herself to step back and let her daughter handle the issue herself. It was difficult, but she had to let Sam have a chance to stand on her own and deal with her own battles. Having her mother step in and deal with the bully wasn’t going to do anything to stop the issue, same as it had been back in grade school when Sam had been bullied on the playground for being so much smaller than the other kids. She’d had to stand back and let Sam deal with the bully herself, which she had done by pushing the older boy off the monkey bars and had gotten in trouble with the principal, but at least he’d learned his lesson and left her alone.

_“Nobody’s perfect, we’ve all lost and we’ve all lied….Most of us have cheated, the rest of us have tried…The holiest of holies even slip from time to time…We’ve all got dirty laundry hanging on the line.”_

Donna chuckled at the words in Sam’s song as she started in to the biscuits and gravy chorus, and turned her attention back to Cassie, who had the decency to at least appear remorseful for cursing, especially so loudly and in the middle of dinner. She patted her daughter’s best friend on the shoulder and said, “Next time though, maybe tone down the offensive language, okay? No man finds a lady with a dirty mouth attractive, dear.”

_“Pouring salt in my sugar won’t make yours any sweeter…Pissing in my yard ain’t gonna make yours any greener…And I wouldn’t know about the rocks in your shoes…So, I’ll just do me and, honey, you can just do you.”_

“I dunno about that.” Rick said after Sam finished the next verse and Donna was sufficiently out of earshot. He had one arm casually tossed over the back of Cassie’s chair as he mulled over what Sam’s mother had just said. “I’m quite fond of your dirty mouth.”

Cassie nearly choked on her own spit at Rick’s blasé comment and felt a tingle in the sexual undertone in his words. A tingle started to burn low in her belly as wicked thoughts about what she wanted to do with her very dirty mouth to Rick’s body filled her mind. If she didn’t get up the nerve to get that man naked and wrapped up in her body soon, she was afraid she might spontaneously combust. As Sam started in on her gravy covered chorus, Cassie leaned in to Rick, close enough to brush a light kiss across the skin just below his earlobe. His curly hair tickled her nose and the masculine scent of him had her on the verge of drooling and it was then she realized just how far gone for him she already was.

 

*Song: Biscuits by Kacey Musgraves*


	123. Chapter 123

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is having a great weekend. I am starting my shift for the night and feel like le poo, so much snot and an annoying headache. Sigh.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Friday, April 27th, 2012**  
_

Since it was Jacey’s weekend with Daryl, Sam had graciously accepted when Clay asked if she could work with him again. After dinner, she had said her goodbyes to the Dixon siblings, giving the eldest a far more chaste farewell than she would have liked, and headed to the stage to help Clay work on putting the song lyrics he had written to music, which was where she was still located and currently frustrated because she couldn't get the precise sound she was searching for.

“I’m going to grab something to drink. You want anything?” Sam asked as she sat her guitar to the side and stood up, arching her back to the point it cracked loudly. They had been working for a couple of hours and she hadn’t moved around much, except to change out the guitar for the piano every so often. Even though he declined, Sam decided that she’d bring him a glass of water since his throat had to be dry by now. “When I get back I want to tackle that chorus again, something’s just not flowing right in my head.”

Sam pushed past the curtain and jumped off the stage in to the surprisingly dark and empty auditorium, only the lights from the stage offering any light in the room since everyone else was long since gone from dinner. She had overheard that her father and the rest of the council were supposed to be having their monthly meeting that night, but she wasn’t sure where since they usually held it in the auditorium. Shrugging, figuring they’d opted to sit outside or in her father’s office, she headed towards the kitchen in search of water to wet her parched throat.

She pushed open the swinging door and felt along the wall for the light switch for a second before her fingers finally brushed over it. Flipping only one switch, enough to light her way to the other side of the room where the water jugs were located, Sam edged around the corner of the center island and slid her hand along the smooth wood and hummed along to the tune in her head while she set about filling two glasses with tepid water. Turning to leave, she saw a sliver of light from the pantry and realized that there was something blocking the door from closing. Curious, Sam went to investigate and, as she pushed open the door with her foot, the sound of her scream was punctuated by a loud crash as the glasses in her hand slipped to the floor and shattered around her mother.

Paying no attention to the shards of glass scattered on the floor, Sam dropped to her knees and leaned over her motionless mother, grabbed hold of her shoulders and shook them in hopes that she could roust her from a deep sleep and not the eternal slumber she had clearly fallen in to. “Mom? Mom! Wake up!” Sam’s voice cracked and tears slipped from her eyes as she begged for her mother to wake up.

“Sam?! What’s wrong?” Clay called out as he crashed through the kitchen door. He had heard the startling sound of Sam’s screams, followed by shattering glass and had flown off the stage to go investigate, even though he was damn near frightened out of his mind. The curse of having an overactive imagination combined with the outbreak didn’t bode well in surprising situations.

“It’s my mom. She’s….she’s dead.” Sobs tore through Sam’s body as she pulled her mother in to her arms and held her tight against her chest. Even though she had no idea how long it had been since her mother died and that the infection could cause her to turn at any minute, Sam kept her mother hugged against her body and let her tears slip down her cheeks on to Donna’s silver hair. “Go find help, Clay. My dad or one of my brothers. Please.”  
Clay swallowed the lump in his throat, the emotional mess in front of him leaving him feeling uneasy and full of sorrow for the woman he’d had a crush on since middle school. Nodding, even though Sam wasn’t paying him any attention, Clay hurried out of the kitchen to find help. The sound of the swinging door slapping against the door frame did nothing to smother the sounds of Sam’s cries.

By the time help arrived, Sam’s tears had slowed, but were still moist on her red cheeks. Her father leaned over her, his hulking frame casting a shadow across her and her mother now that all the lights in the kitchen were burning brightly. She held on tightly to her mother, rocking back and forth slightly as though the motion would offer Donna any comfort. She didn’t want to let go, because doing so meant she had to say goodbye to her mother forever and she wasn’t ready for that.

“Baby girl, I need you to let her go, okay? You know what needs to be done.” Her father was the voice of reason, but her heart didn’t want to listen to that right now. Sam shook her head and whispered, “I’m not ready for her to be gone.”

“I know you aren’t. I’m not either, but she’s gone, Sammie.” Jim squatted next to his daughter and it pained him dearly to watch her rocking her mother’s lifeless body like a child. While he wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the love of his life, the woman who’d stayed by his side for fifty-two years and bore five of his children, his already weakened heart hated seeing his baby girl’s heart break. “Come on, Sam, just let your mother go and I’ll do what has to be done, okay? You don’t have to do anything.”

Sam felt a hand on her shoulder and opened her eyes to find Bo squatting behind her. Mutely, she finally relinquished her hold on her mother and let her oldest brother help her to her feet. Her body started shaking even though it wasn’t cold in the room and refused to stop. She clamped her jaw shut tightly to keep her teeth from chattering and wrapped her arms around her body while her father and brother dealt with her mother; a sight she thankfully didn’t have to see thanks to their large frames taking up the entire doorway to the pantry.

“It shouldn’t have been her.” Sam whispered when her father stood up, her voice thick with sorrow and hoarse from crying. Tears slid down her face, flowing freely across her reddened cheeks, and she sniffed loudly to keep her nose from running all over the place. Her father stared at her, but didn’t respond to her comment, which did nothing to calm the fury that was building inside of Sam. “It should have been you! You’re the one with the bad heart, you’re the one we’ve been walking on eggshells around so you didn’t get upset, you’re the one that should be dead.”

“Samantha James!” Bo snapped at his sister in surprise, having never heard anything so venomous out of her mouth. “Watch your mouth! Jesus!”

“It’s okay, Bo.” Jim replied calmly, his face a mask of sympathy for his only daughter as she struggled to keep herself together. He took a few steps forward and closed the gap between them, physically but not emotionally, and reached for Sam. He wasn’t surprised when she jerked from his grasp and cursed at him. He probably should have been, but he wasn’t, not with the way things had been between them as of late. “I know you’re upset, Sammie, and it’s eating me up inside that I can’t take away the hurt. But, I can’t. I can’t go back and change everything that happened, baby girl. I wish I could, but I can’t. I love you, Samantha, you’re my little girl and I love you.”

“I hate you.” Sam managed to choke out between the gut wrenching sobs that were now wracking her body. The words were meant to hurt, to cut her father as deep with pain as he had cut her with his lies and deception, but they lacked the emotion that was needed to do so. The words were tear filled and full of the pain and sorrow that filled her heart, but spoken soft and lacked the effect she had hoped for because her father didn’t so much as flinch when she said them. Instead, he reached out for her and forced Sam into his arms, his strong arms wrapping around her tiny frame and holding her tightly while she fought against the embrace.

She was tired of fighting, exhausted and emotionally drained and so very tired. Sam gave up pushing against her father and allowed him to simply hold her while she cried. His embrace was comforting, and she realized right then just how much she missed him. She choked on another wave of emotion that washed through her at that realization and tightened her arms around his torso. “I’m sorry, Daddy.” She mumbled against the soft cotton of his shirt that was now moist with her sadness.

“I know, baby girl. I know.” Jim smoothed one hand over the top of Sam’s head, her thick hair was straining against the confines of the jeweled clip and honey colored locks were starting to haphazardly spill out in every direction. “It’s late, why don’t you let Bo walk you home?”

Sam used a dishtowel that was laying on the counter to wipe her face and nodded silently at her father. She hated the thought of leaving her mother, but knew that there was nothing more she could do for her now. So, instead, she opted to allow her brother to escort her out of the building; a fresh wave of tears starting up as she gave one last glance over her shoulder to where her mother lay on the floor.

“I need to tell Jacey.” Sam stopped halfway down the sidewalk in the direction of her apartment. “She’ll want to know.”

“She’s at Daryl’s tonight, right?” Bo asked and waited for Sam to nod in response. He cursed under his breath and said, “I don’t need to leave Dad just yet. He’s going to need help with Mom. Hang on.”

A few short minutes later, Sam was perched on the back of one of a horse with her arms wrapped loosely around her nephew's waist. Mason had only been a half mile away on his security patrol when Bo contacted him via walkie-talkie and had quickly come to the aid of his favorite aunt. The ride was silent, only a few words of sorrow exchanged between them about Donna’s death, and before long he nosed the massive brown horse onto the edge of Daryl’s sloping driveway.

“You sure you’re gonna be okay, Aunt Sam?” Mason asked as he held on to Sam’s hand and helped her down from his horse. “If you want to get Jace, I could give ya’ll both a ride over to Grandpa’s for the night. You know, if you don’t want to stay here and all.”

“Thanks, Mason, but I’ll be fine.” Sam smiled as brightly as she could up at her nephew in hopes that it would reassure him, but the look on his handsome face in the pale light of the moon showed that she failed. “You go on now, be safe.”

Inside the house, Daryl was sitting alone in the nearly dark living room, too awake to sleep and yet, too tired to stay awake. The sound of a horse galloping away, its hooves clacking against the pavement quickly, startled him out of a half dazed stupor. Fully alert now, he slipped his feet off the coffee table, stood up and crossed the room to the back door in only a few steps. Glancing out the window, his left hand already closing in on his crossbow propped beside the door, Daryl saw the unmistakable figure of Sam walking up the driveway. He released the hold on his bow and opened the door quickly, certain that something was wrong since she was using the actual door at night, instead of crawling through his window.

“What’s wrong?” He asked as he stepped out on to the carport steps, the cement stairs were cool against his bare feet as he went out on to the driveway to meet Sam. His concern only mounted when she said nothing in return, simply darted up the remainder of the driveway and flung herself in to his arms. Holding her tight, Daryl tried again, “What happened?”

“My mom.” Sam sniffled and buried her face against Daryl’s chest, the worn material of his denim shirt was soft against her cheek. “She’s dead. I…I found her in the kitchen. She was just lying there…she was cold.”

“Shit.” Unable to think of anything else to say in response, he was all too familiar with death and didn’t know what to do to offer comfort to the woman in his arms that clearly wasn’t. Daryl pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Sam’s head as she wept against his chest and simply held on to her tightly.

“I need to tell Jacey.” Sam whispered, pulling back from Daryl’s chest to glance up to his face. “She’s going to be devastated. She loved my mom so much. How am I going to tell her? I don’t want to break her heart.”

“We can tell her tomorrow. She’s done asleep, let her rest.” Daryl slipped his hands down Sam’s arms and into her hands. Before Sam could argue, he added, “There ain’t no point in waking her up tonight, ain’t nothing gonna change no how and telling her tonight’s just gonna upset her so she don’t sleep. Come inside, get some rest, and tell her tomorrow.”

Sam nodded in agreement and held onto Daryl’s hand while he led them back to the house. Once inside the kitchen, she waited for him while he locked the door and grabbed his crossbow, before taking his hand once more and following him through darkened house to the back bedroom, where she crawled to the center of the bed and laid down fully clothed. Exhausted emotionally, Sam vaguely recalled Daryl removing her boots and pulling a thin blanket up to her shoulders, before crawling into the bed behind her; the comfort and warmth of his body curled against hers was just what she needed to fall asleep.


	124. Chapter 124

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the reviews last night! Hope you guys enjoy this one, it's definitely been a long time coming.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Saturday, April 28th, 2012**  
_

Daryl woke the next morning and blinked his eyes against the stream of light blaring through the windows. Normally, he was awake long before the sun and had never needed to close the blinds to keep it from streaming in to the bedroom. Judging by how much sunlight was in the room, they had slept long enough to be late to breakfast, but he doubted that Sam would be in the mood to eat. And, speaking of Sam, she was still curled up next to him. They hadn't rolled away from one another during the night like normal, so there was no need to scoot across the bed to take her in to his arms now that he was awake. While he liked waking up with her in his arms, the downfall to the position was that his left shoulder and arm were now completely asleep; painfully numb, yet tingling all over.

Since Sam was still fast asleep and he had no desire to wake her up, Daryl pressed a gentle kiss to the slope of her neck and laid his head back down on the pillow to see if he could get another hour of sleep himself. With his head back on the pillow, eyes wide open and ready to start the day even though the rest of him wasn't, Daryl noticed that the bedroom door was opened. He knew that he'd closed the door after they had come into the bedroom, because that's what he always did, but now it was opened all the way up until the knob was actually touching the wall behind the doorway. Daryl eased up enough to peer over Sam, his slumbering arm protesting the whole time, and saw the reason that the door was no longer shut. At some point during the night, or morning since it was already in full swing, Jacey had gotten up and crawled in to bed with them.

Curled up against Sam, snuggled beneath the blanket they now shared, was the telltale unruly mop of golden curls that belonged to his sister poking out from the top of the covers. Daryl had no idea what possessed her to come in to his bedroom and crawl in bed with them, since she had never done anything of the sort before that morning, but the sight of her sleeping with Sam, snuggled up against one another, in his bed was something he could get used to. Smiling to himself, Daryl laid his head back down on the pillow and simply held on to Sam while she held on to Jacey. Since there was no way he was going back to sleep, he might as well let the ladies in his life get the rest they would need to make it through the weekend.

When Samantha woke up a little while later, she came to slowly and with a soft smile on her face; she hadn't gotten that much sleep in ages and she chalked it up to having Daryl's arms holding her tightly through the night. A split second later, Sam realized why she was actually in Daryl's bed instead of her own and the smile she had woke with faded away. Burrowing down beneath the covers, she refused to get out of bed and face the stress of the day and came face to face with her daughter, who was staring at her from beneath the blanket that covered them both.

"Jace!" Sam exclaimed, her green eyes wide with surprise as she sprang straight up in the bed. "What are you doing in here?"

"Same thing that you were doing. Sleeping." Jacey sat up and attempted to push back the mass of golden curls that sprang from her head in various directions. With only the innocence a child could possess, she tilted her head slightly to the side and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Sam struggled with an answer, beyond unprepared for this particular moment. She opened her mouth to answer and closed it quickly, blinking with wide eyes at her daughter before turning her gaze to Daryl for help. Finding only an amused smirk on his face, Sam realized he was enjoying this situation far too much and swatted at him in aggravation. "You could help me out here."

"Why? More fun to watch you figure it out." Daryl replied with a chuckle as he sat up in the bed. He scooted up to lean against the headboard, raised one inquiring eyebrow and said, "Get on with it."

"Well, um...Jace, me and Daryl...um, we're sort of," Sam stammered about, trying to figure out the most decent way to say that she was involved with Daryl once more. It wasn't like they were dating, because it was difficult to date in the apocalypse since there was nowhere to go on said date. And, it wasn't like they had taken their newly found couple status out in to the public eye. So, what were they doing? Well, they were having sex, and lots of it. But, that certainly wasn't something she could share with her seven year old daughter. Thankfully, Jacey saved Sam from her inner dialogue.

"Are you two boyfriend and girlfriend again? Are you in love?" Jacey smiled brightly and asked the questions in a sing-songy voice that was beyond adorable as she bounced up and down ever so slightly on the bed.

Sam had only seen that level of excitement from Jacey on Christmas morning and it warmed her heart to see her daughter so happy. She hated that the news she was going to have to share soon was going to ruin the luminous smile on Jacey's face and wanted to put it off as long as she could. Realizing that both her daughter and Daryl were staring at her with matching expressions of interest, Sam blushed brightly and said, "Yeah, Jace, I guess we are."

The squeal that tore through the room could have easily shattered glass, but thankfully didn't. Jacey was like a pint sized ball of energy as she screamed with delight and barreled in to Sam, knocking them both backwards across Daryl's legs. Once she was finished celebrating for the moment, Jacey looked at the both of them with wide eyes and let loose a string of questions that neither of them were prepared to answer. "Does that mean you're getting married again? Are we going to move in here or is Daryl coming to our apartment? But, the apartment is too small, so does that mean we have to move back to the house?"

"Whoa! Settle down, kiddo." Sam pushed her way out from beneath Jacey and sat up. "It's entirely too soon to start worrying about any of that, okay? Right now, Daryl and I are just spending time with each other and nothing is going to change as far as the schedule we've already been doing." Sam paused and glanced over to Daryl, and she could tell he knew what was coming next because he leaned forward ever so slightly and took her hand in his. She took a deep breath and decided to just get the hard part over with quickly, like ripping a band aid off. "I'm happy that you're excited about me and Daryl, but sweetie, there's something else we need to talk about this morning. Last night your Grandma Donna passed away. She's gone, baby girl."

Jacey's face crumbled, the glowing shimmer of happiness in her eyes faded away, only to be replaced with a level of sorrow no child should ever possess. Daryl watched helplessly as she crawled in to Sam's lap and sobbed loudly. He didn't understand what she was going through, having never met his grandparents. His mother's parents had died long before he was born, as had his father's mother. While his grandfather on the Dixon side had been alive during the first ten years of Daryl's life, he had never made the effort to see his youngest grandson. Not wanting to be like the rest of the men with Dixon blood, Daryl reached out and wrapped his arms around Sam's back and pulled them both over to him. Holding Sam and Jacey tightly, he offered them the only thing he could at the moment...comfort.

The bear hug in the middle of his bed was interrupted a short while later by the sudden sound of someone banging on the door. Daryl extracted himself from Sam and Jacey and headed towards the kitchen to answer the door, not surprised in the slightest to find Cassie peering at him from the small square window on the side door. He pulled open the door, while stepping aside to let her and Rick in to the house. "Sam's in the bedroom with Jacey." He nodded towards the back of the house and closed the door as Cassie darted in the direction of his bedroom.

"How're they doing?" Rick asked as he leaned a hip against the kitchen counter. He had been surprised to find out about Donna Collins passing away during the night, but was glad to find out that it had been due to natural causes and nothing more gruesome.

"Good as expected, I guess." Daryl sat down on one of the stools at the counter, put both elbows on the top and shoved his hands through his disheveled hair. "Any word on what the plan is? Figure they're gonna have to get her in the ground soon."

"Cassie talked to the family at breakfast. Funeral's set for later today, before dinner. Family's going to eat at the Collins house, kitchen staff's going to take everything over for after the funeral." Rick was more than a little shocked to find out that he was included in the family gathering after the services, being included as Cassie's date. He stroked a hand over his nonexistent beard, something he realized he missed, but not enough to grow it back just yet, and asked, "Take it Jacey knows about ya’ll now?"

"Woke up with her in bed with us." Daryl shook his head and inwardly cringed at how wrong that experience could have went had the situation regarding Sam's sudden presence the night before been under different circumstances. He shuddered at the thought of his kid sister finding him in bed naked with her mother. "Seems okay with it."

"Never had any doubt that she wouldn't be okay with you and Sam being together. Kid's that age want two parents, she saw you and Sam together and I could see it in her eyes...that need to have ya’ll together." Rick clapped Daryl on the back and added, "No point in hiding it anymore. You ready to put it out there? Let everyone know the two of you are together?"

"Shit, less scared than last time. ‘Least this time Jim's on board." Daryl pushed back from the bar and stood up. He shoved back a handful of hair and glared stonily towards his bedroom. "But, that...letting everyone know...hell, ain't up to just me."


	125. Chapter 125

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the reviews. :) Only 14 more chapters to go!

_**Saturday, April 28th, 2012** _

 

Sam figured that for most people the sight of a beautiful spring day outside when it was time to bury a loved one was greatly appreciated, but for Sam, the robin’s egg blue sky and tiny puffs of marshmallow clouds only managed to aggravate her. The warmth of the sun's rays shining on her bare shoulders did nothing to offer her comfort and only succeeded to annoy Sam further. In Sam’s mind, the weather should have the decency to be as gloomy and dark as she felt.

With Jacey's hand tucked into hers, Sam led the way through the copse of trees towards the graveyard with a heavy heart. Following close behind her family, Sam was torn between wanting to be with them to mourn the loss of the matriarch of their family, but the need to be with Daryl was as all-consuming as it normally was. She pushed past the branches of a fledgling cypress tree, holding them aside to allow her daughter to scurry past, and headed across the graveyard to where her mother would be buried in the family plot; only two graves down from where hers and Daryl's daughter lay.

When she came to the grave that caused her heart to scream in pain, Sam dusted off the dirt and grime that had collected on the headstone before placing the tiny bouquet of flowers she had put together from her own rooftop garden onto it. Sam pressed the tips of her fingers to her mouth and lovingly placed the kiss to Emily's tombstone before proceeding to the dirt filled mound where her mother had been laid to rest earlier in the day.

With the outbreak had also come the inability to perform funeral services the way mankind had grown accustomed to doing so. Gone were the gleaming caskets and mounds of flowers, as well as preparing the corpse to spend an eternity buried deep below the earth. Now, the deceased was put in to the ground as soon as possible, dressed in whatever they'd passed away wearing and covered with dirt before the stench of decay was too much to bear. Funeral services these days did good to have a minister and more than a handful of grieving family and friends to weep while a sermon was performed. For the most part, funerals in the apocalypse only had a few companions standing by with dry eyes, too hardened by the harshness of the world around them to cry over the loss, while someone shoveled mounds of dirt into an open hole. 

Donna Jo Collins, however, was faring in death far more than most had managed to do even before the outbreak; a testament to the love the community had for her. The mound of dirt on her grave was sprinkled heavily with handpicked flowers that was brought by the large group of family and friends that surrounded her final resting place with tears staining their faces to show their grief and sorrow over her passing.

Sam stood stalwart between her father and brothers, at the head of the group, but her eyes were busy searching the graveyard for the man she wanted to be standing with. She needed the strength that his presence, his touch, provided. On the second scan of the ever growing crowd, her eyes met his and just the sight of those pools of indigo had a calming effect on her frazzled nerves. Paying no mind to the stares, the questioning glances of her family members and friends who were waiting patiently for the sermon to begin, Sam stepped away from her place next to her father and headed towards Daryl with Jacey in tow.

Together, they stood across from her family, seeming as though the two of them had always been in opposition with her family. No words were exchanged as Sam reached out and took hold of Daryl's hand; each of her hands holding on tightly to the Dixon siblings as though she would float away if their hands were no longer grasping hers.

The distance between their bodies lessened as the preacher spoke about the life of Donna Jo Collins, and by the time it came for Sam to sing her farewell to her mother, she was so close to him that she was certain Daryl could hear her heart thumping away in her chest. She was supposed to go stand next to the preacher, but when the time came, her feet and heart had no interest in moving. Sam released her hold on their hands and wiped away the waves of tears that had fallen from her eyes and were slowly drying on her cheeks. The feel of Jacey’s thin arms slipping around her waist was comforting, but nearly broke Sam with the emotions the simple gesture caused.

_“I didn’t know today would be our last…Or that I’d have to say goodbye to you so fast…I’m so numb, I can’t feel any more…Prayin’ you’d just walk back through that door….And tell me that I was only dreamin’…You’re not really gone as long as I believe.”_

Sam’s voice wavered as she choked back the lump of emotion in her throat. She fought back the fresh wave of tears that burned in her eyes, threatening to spill over and end her chance to sing to her mother for the last time. Needing the strength that only the touch of the man she loved could provide, Sam reached out to Daryl and slipped her hand around his as she started the next verse of the song she’d written for her Grandmother Emily’s funeral seven years earlier. Sam hated that she hadn’t been able to write her mother a song of her very own, but there hadn’t been time to get anything together, but remembering how much her mother had enjoyed the song she’d written for her grandmother made her feel better about using it.

_“There will be another angel around the throne tonight…Your love lives on inside of me, And I will hold on tight…It’s not my place to question, Only God knows why…I’m just jealous of the angels…Around the throne tonight.”_

Holding on to Sam’s hand as tightly as he could without hurting her, Daryl could feel her shaking from the emotions that she was clearly struggling to hold inside. Her voice wavered and a quick glance showed him just how hard of a time Sam was having, how difficult it was for her to keep her composure while she sang. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears and she stared at a patch of ground near the mound of dirt that covered her mother’s body, and the pain in that stare and the sorrow in her voice pained his heart.

_“You always made my troubles feel so small…And you were always there to catch me when I’d fall…In a world where heroes come and go…Well, God just took the only one I know…So, I’ll hold you as close as I can…Longing for the day, when I see your face again…But, until then…”_ As she prepared to sing the chorus once more, the tears in her eyes filled to the point where she could no longer contain them; falling on to her cheeks in a wave of heartache. _“God must need another angel…Around the throne tonight…Your love lives on inside me…And I will hold on tight….It’s not my place to question…Only God knows why…I’m just jealous of the angels around the throne tonight.”_

Sam’s chin quivered as she fought to remain steady enough to finish the song, one final verse to say goodbye to her mother. She wasn’t ready to never see her mom again, wasn’t ready to bid that final farewell. They’d had had their ups and downs over the years, but knowing that she would never again feel the loving touch of her mother’s embrace, never hear the comforting tone of her voice, and never again see her mom’s face light up with happiness weighed heavily on Sam’s heart. If only she had one more day, even one more minute, with her mother then maybe it wouldn’t hurt so bad. If she could just tell her mother one more time just how much she loved her, then maybe losing her wouldn’t hurt so much.

_“Singin’ hallelujah….Hallelujah…Hallelujah…I’m just jealous of the angels…Around the throne…Tonight.”_

Letting go of Sam’s hand as she finished the last line of the song, Daryl opened his arms to her instead. She willingly fell in to his embrace, sobbing against his chest and holding on to him with all of her strength, as though he were her lifeline. The only sound in the graveyard at that moment was the sound of Sam’s heart breaking in his arms. Daryl pressed a kiss to the top of her head and laid his cheek to rest on the soft honey colored tresses, fully intent on holding Sam as long as she needed. Barely a moment passed and he felt someone’s hand tugging on his incessantly, confusing him briefly before Daryl realized the small hand belonged to his sister. He loosened his hold on Sam enough to allow Jacey to join them, their small and unconventional family grieving together brought a tender smile to the faces of several curious onlookers that crowded around the gravesite. 

In a manner that was completely uncharacteristic for Daryl, especially after the outbreak, his attention was focused solely on the girls in his arms and not on his surroundings. Holding Sam and Jacey tightly, he missed the sound of the preacher ending the service and paid no attention to the dispersal of the crowd that had gathered for the funeral. It was only the feel of someone’s hand suddenly resting on his shoulder that brought Daryl back to reality and he glanced back to find Sam’s father.

“Hate to disturb ya’ll, just wanted to make sure you’d bring the girls back to the house?” Jim Collins asked, his voice thick from the tears he had shed during the service. It softened a part of Daryl’s heart towards the man to see Jim with the remnants of those tears clinging to the corners of his red rimmed eyes. Just seeing how torn up he was over the death of his wife seemed to humanize him in Daryl’s eyes a bit. Instead of the angry father that had to have things his way, no matter how badly that desire wreaked havoc on his only daughter’s happiness, for one moment Daryl saw a man grieving for the woman he loved; the love of his life and mother of his children.

“Yes, sir. When Sam’s ready.” Daryl replied, fully intent on letting Sam stay in the graveyard, by her mother’s side, for as long as she wanted to. The last time they had been at a funeral, the cold winter’s air had forced him to make her leave their daughter’s gravesite far sooner than she had wanted to and this time, he swore it would be different. He’d stand out there all night long with her if that’s what she wanted.

 

*Song: Jealous of the Angels by Jenn Bostic*


	126. Chapter 126

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for my reviews!!! 
> 
> Yeah, so I noticed that I have two chapter 126's. Which means, the story is 141 chapters in reality. Sigh. You guys have no idea how many times I mislabeled the chapters on this story and thought I finally had it right, but apparently not. So, you guys get an extra chapter and my OCD-ness gets punished with an odd number on the end chapter. LOL 
> 
> I am looking at posting Chapter 127 (the 2nd chapter 126) in the morning before I leave work if all goes well...just have to relabel all my chapters from here on out.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

Saturday, April 28th, 2012

At the Collins residence, Cassie sat with Rick on the back porch and watched the sun slowly fade from the sky while they waited for their friends to show up. The rest of the Collins family was inside, the men lounging around the living room while the woman gathered in the kitchen and picked at the food that only the children had managed to take time and eat so far. Feeling like the outsiders that they were, Cassie and Rick took the time to simply relax and enjoy the unusual alone time. The sound of the wooden blinds slapping against the patio door as someone came outside startled Cassie and she turned around to find Josh Collins stepping on to the back porch to join them with a bottle full of amber liquid in his hand. Of course, she had forgotten how the Collins family liked to commiserate after the death in the family. Or, any event that gave them a reason to break out the whiskey. Not that they were alcoholics, far from it actually, but they did enjoy a drink or three to loosen up in a stressful situation.

"No, thanks. I don't drink." Cassie waved off Josh’s offering. The amber liquid sloshed slightly in the formal crystal glass when he sat it down on the table in front of them in case she changed her mind and sauntered to the end of the pond like pool to be alone for a moment. The sight of the whiskey caused Cassie’s mouth to water and her stomach to churn at the same time. She tore her gaze from the glass that called her name and looked at Rick, not at all surprised to see question marks in his eyes. Laughing bitterly, she said, "Of course, you've heard the stories. It is still a small town full of gossipers that don’t have anything else better to do with their time. Let's just change that to I don't drink anymore."

"I have heard a few stories here and there." Rick said slowly, peering over the edge of his own glass at the woman next to him as he took a sip of the fiery liquid. He cringed at the taste, but enjoyed the warmth of it burning its way to his stomach. "But, as a rule I try to ignore rumors."

"Well, whatever you heard I'm sure it's the truth, maybe embellished some here and there to make it more interesting and all." Cassie lowered her gaze to the glass once more and hated that she had to struggle against the temptation that lay just within her reach. "I used to drink. A lot. Like, to the point of blacking out, three or four times a week. Sometimes more, depending on the week. I let it control me, but for a long time I stupidly thought I had it under control."

"But, you quit. Takes a lot of willpower to do that. You should be proud of yourself." Rick added the last part because he had seen a lot of people let alcohol destroy their lives, even falling off the wagon many times in their quest to break free from it, which from what he saw, Cassie hadn't let happen. Since he could see the struggle in her eyes, Rick leaned forward to pick up the glass with the intent to take it elsewhere, but was stopped by the feel of her hand on his.

"It's okay, I can be around it and not turn in to some raving lunatic who has to drink all the alcohol." Cassie punctuated her words with a smile and tried to ignore the gnawing demand that raged with in her and desperately wanted to prove her conviction wrong. "I can resist its naughty charm, I promise. I've been doing so for twelve years now."

"What made you quit, if you don't mind me asking?" Rick asked as he sat his glass down on the table next to the one he had brought out for her. The two large sized sips he had taken were already working their magic on him, proving that he had become a lightweight since the outbreak. He was curious as to what caused her to go on the straight and narrow, but the look in Cassie's eyes darkened enough to have him regretting his question. "Never mind, it's none of my business."

"No, it's okay, really. I, um...I just haven't ever told anyone why I stopped. Not even Sam. I mean, she’s asked, but I could never bring myself to tell her the truth." Cassie bit her lip as she met Rick's eyes once more and took a deep breath. "Surprising, I know. We tell each other pretty much everything, but I couldn't tell her this. I didn't want her to know what I did." Cassie waved her hand in Rick's direction when he interrupted her, telling her once again that the story she was about to tell wasn't any of his business. "Shush. Maybe it's time I tell someone? Maybe...maybe you should know before we...well, you know? Get too serious?"

"Tell me or not, but whatever you did isn't going to change how I feel about you." Rick reached out and took Cassie's hand in his and nodded at her to continue. 

"The night that Sam had her wreck, well...no one could find Daryl for hours afterwards. He was her emergency contact, but he wasn't home, so Sam laid in that hospital for hours by herself until Lindy came on duty and realized what had happened." Cassie paused and closed her eyes, hating the images that flickered through her mind at just the mention of the night in question. And that’s just what they were, flickers, because to this day she couldn’t remember everything that had happened that night. "He wasn't the only one on her forms. I was listed as her second contact, because at the time she went to the doctor the first time she wasn't speaking to her family. But, they couldn't get hold of me either. They couldn't find me because I was drunk, passed out in some strangers bed, three sheets to the wind and completely unable to help anyone...even myself.

"By the time I got home later that afternoon, because that's how long it took me to sober up enough to drive, my machine was full of messages from the hospital...from Lindy, from Sam's parents once they found out." Cassie gulped in a deep breath in hopes that the tears in her eyes would disappear, but failed and ended up sobbing loudly as the first wave of tears spilled over her thick lashes. "I didn't even go to the hospital. I didn't even call her. I just crawled in bed and passed out again, because I was still drunk...even though I drove home from some random guy's house. After that, I stopped drinking. I mean, what if I'd been like that guy that hit Sam? What if I'd caused a wreck that killed some woman's baby? I was no better than the man that hit Sam and I couldn't look her in the face and have her know why I wasn't there for her."

"Come here." Rick wrapped his arms around Cassie and pulled her against him while she cried. His lips were pressed against her hair when he spoke, "You made a mistake, one that thankfully didn't get anyone hurt, and it caused you to change something that needed fixing. Not a single piece of that story makes me think any less of you and I know Sam wouldn’t feel any different. I understand why you wouldn’t want to tell her, but it might make you feel better to tell her. Get it off your conscience?”

“No, no, and no.” Cassie said forcefully as she pulled back from Rick and wiped at the tears on her face. She rarely cried and hated it when the tears happened from time to time, but not as much as she despised someone seeing her do so. When she gathered herself to a modicum of composure, she offered Rick a smile, a weak one, but a smile nonetheless. “Thank you for letting me spill my guts and blubber all over you.”

“You’re welcome.” Rick stared at Cassie for a moment before reaching out to brush away several strands of dark hair that were plastered to the drying tears on her cheek. Sitting next to him was this woman that was impetuous and loud, overly opinionated with a colorful and questionable past. But, all he saw was her beauty, her kindness, and how fiercely protective and loyal to the few people she loved. As she sat there showing him her weakness and opening her heart to him, Rick realized that even though she was nearly the opposite of everything he thought he’d wanted in a woman, she was exactly what he needed.

“I know Sam wouldn’t judge me, I know that…I just, I can’t take the chance that she might and cut me loose, which honestly wouldn’t happen…like less than a one percent chance that would ever happen, but I’m too scared to even risk it. She’s all that I have now, she’s all I’ve had for a long time really, and I can’t not have Sam in my life, so I will continue to let the guilt eat me up inside and keep that off of her, you know?” Cassie blurted out suddenly, after a few moments of what felt like awkward silence to her.

“You’ve never really talked about your family.” Rick’s statement was meant to be a question, but he didn’t know how to phrase it without feeling uncomfortable. Were her parents dead? Did they make it to the turn or did they go before then? What about siblings? Aunts? Uncles? All Cassie had offered up before now was that Sam and Jacey were her only family.

“Family? Yeah, I wouldn’t put it that way exactly. I wasn’t ever close to my parents, more like a disappointment that they dealt with. Basically, once I got old enough to take care of myself, they left me to my own devices and only surfaced to yell at me whenever I got in trouble.” Cassie’s line of sight landed on the two glasses of whiskey and she wished for a moment that she had let Rick relocate them to a place that wasn’t near her and the temptation that was eating her up inside. “My parents were older when they had me, like Sam’s parents were, except I was their only kid. Never got to meet my grandparents and both of my parents were only children, too. Um, my mother died three days after my twenty-first birthday, had a heart attack at work. After that, my dad worked himself to death and bit the dust a little over two years later.”

Despite years as a police officer and seeing countless sets of deadbeat parents, Rick still couldn’t wrap his brain around having a child and neglecting them. And yes, even though a parent provided their child with food, shelter and clothing, it was still considered neglect in his mind if they didn’t also provide love and security as well. He struggled to provide the first set of requirements for his children after the outbreak, but he’d be damned if he wouldn’t do his best to make sure they were safe and that he loved them with all of his heart. Realizing the pause in the conversation had gone on far too long after Cassie’s explanation, Rick finally managed to say something. “I can see why you wouldn’t want to talk about them then.”

“I had Sam at least. She’s my family, her and Jacey. Just because we don’t share DNA doesn’t mean we aren’t family.” Cassie smiled that time, an honest to goodness smile that lacked anything remotely resembling sadness. At some point during their talk, they had reached for one another and were now holding hands. She didn’t know who initiated it, she was just glad one of them had. “Back when I thought I’d lost her was when everything in my life came in to focus for me. I’d just been loafing about, barely passing classes, and spending as much time as I could inside of a bottle. It’s sad that it sometimes takes almost losing someone you love to make you reevaluate your life.”

“So, it was close then…losing Sam? I know she was in a wreck and lost their baby, but Daryl hasn’t said much else.” Curiosity was the nature of the beast in law enforcement, but he hadn’t wanted to stir up trouble with Daryl by asking about what happened. He knew his friend well enough to know that if Daryl wanted to talk about something he would, otherwise there was no point in asking. 

“Not from the wreck, no. I mean, I guess it could have been life threatening, from the blood loss and all, but she made it out with just some broken bones and staples. It was after the wreck, she wasn’t the same…not that she was expected to be after losing Emily, but it was pretty bad for a while. She was in a real dark place for a long time.” Cassie shifted in her seat and turned to face Rick a bit better. The sun was nearly gone, only the tip of its rays shone over the edge of the neighborhood now. They would have to light some candles soon if the moon wasn’t strong enough to provide faint light. “The depression was bad, it’s what drove her and Daryl apart in the end. She couldn’t let herself be happy again and he couldn’t live with her not being there anymore, emotionally that is. Up until then, Sam’s life was perfect. Utterly perfect. She’d never had to learn to deal with things when they went wrong, because they never did…not for her, not until she and Daryl ended up together. In the span of six months she got pregnant, got married to Daryl, lost the support of most of her family and lost her baby. It was too much for her to handle.”

“Losing a child is hard enough without blaming yourself for it.” While he didn’t know the effects first hand, Rick could only imagine the disastrous effects the death of a child could have on the parents. Hell, he and Lori had barely been able to keep their marriage together with just the day to day stresses of life, much less anything as horrifying as burying Carl.

“You say that like you’ve experienced it.” Cassie’s voice softened as she probed gently into a sensitive subject. “You and Lori, did ya’ll lose….uh, I…you know, never mind. Too personal.”

“No, we didn’t. Just Carl and Judith.” Although, if he was honest with himself he knew that biologically the chances of Judith actually being his baby girl were slim to none, but in his heart she was nothing but his daughter. “No, Lori and I fell apart without anything else stepping in and helping us. Just the risk of marrying a police officer, high divorce rates.”

Cassie wanted to ask more about his wife, but the sound of doors opening and the sudden raised chatter of several people talking at once interrupted her. She glanced over her shoulder and found that the house was now glowing from the lanterns and candles that had been lit since night had fallen and in the golden glow, she could see the unmistakable form of Sam and Daryl. “They’re here.”

Knowing that the rest of their conversation would have to be put on hold for the time being so that Cassie could check on Sam, Rick stood and offered her his other hand to help her to her feet. “Come on, I know you’re dying to check on them.”

“Guess the cat is officially out of the bag regarding their couple status, huh?” Cassie smiled, happy to have a bright spot on the otherwise dreary day. She peered through the pane of the French door to where Sam was standing next to Daryl and saw that his arm was draped over her shoulders. Jacey was nowhere to been seen, but the sounds of childlike laughter could be heard from the front yard; further proof that children were resilient and recovered from death a lot faster than adults.

She entered the house when Rick held open the door for her, but paused long enough to say, “Sam’s in good hands, but I want to check on her anyway. But, I could maybe make it a quick checking on if maybe you wanted to head out of here earlier than intended?”

“She’s definitely in good hands. Doesn’t look like Daryl’s letting too many people get close to her.” Rick chuckled at Daryl’s overprotective nature, which was a sight to see since he rarely let anyone close enough to experience it. “So, I’d say we’re safe to head out early.” Butterflies erupted in his stomach at the implications behind the leaving early statement and he knew why. Despite spending nearly every night together for nearly two months, one week of which they had spent the night literally together at his house, they had yet to progress past second base…or what he considered it to be, but he’d never been fully up to date as to what which base meant. Either way, he and Cassie had experienced some electrifying kisses and some junior high level groping, but none of which had led to anything else as of yet. While the notion of finally having sex with someone that wasn’t his wife was mildly terrifying to Rick, he was pretty sure that he and Cassie both realized that tonight was going to be the night they took that terrifying leap together.


	127. Chapter 127

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, 2nd post for the evening, so make sure you read Chapter 126 if you haven't done so already. :) Still focusing on Rick and Cassie (Rassie!) in this chapter, so I thought I would go ahead and post it so we can get back to Sam and Daryl next week. Hope you guys enjoy the two updates. Now, on to what Rick and Cassie have both been eagerly awaiting for quite a while.  
> 

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Saturday, April 28th, 2012**  
_

 

The walk back to Rick's house was silent and rife with the sexual tension that seemed to always fill the air around them. However, tonight as they walked through the moonlit night towards the opposite end of town, the tensity was thicker than usual, the air between their bodies seemed alive; crackling with pent up desire and excitement that craved to finally be satiated.

All of the windows in the house were dark except for one, the faint golden hue in Carl's bedroom let them know that the teenager was still awake, which wasn't uncommon back in the days of electricity and entertainment, but these days life was had a habit of lacking entertainment, at least the fun kind, after the sun went down. They entered the darkened residence quietly, so as to not wake the slumbering baby just down the hallway. Cassie tiptoed over the threshold when Rick held open the front door for her, his hand rested gently against her lower back and the simple touch caused the butterflies in the pit of her stomach to erupt into a fit of nervous flutters.

While Rick headed towards his son room, Cassie slipped nervously into the bathroom. She shut the door softly and leaned against the smooth door once she was alone in the small room. Being with Rick was different than any other man she had ever spent time with, intimate or not. He had a way of making her feel important, as though she wasn't just someone to pass the time with in bed, simply by paying attention to her when she spoke; listening and engaging in the conversation without his eyes glazing over while waiting to get to the sexual part of the evening. Rick treated her like she was a person and not just a thing to conquer.

And, while her taste in men typically ran to large and brawny, no small feat since she was only a couple inches shy of six feet herself, there was no denying that her body was equally as attracted to Rick as he seemed to be to hers. Rick was attractive in a way that snuck up on her. His original cuteness had transcended in to a level of sexiness that she hadn't expected. She thought the way his hair curled was adorable and her hands ached to run her fingers through the dark tresses, and found it hard to resist doing so at times. His blue eyes sparkled when he laughed, but could turn sharp quickly with a cool intensity that sent shivers up her spine. His wiry frame was deceptively strong. The strength in his hold when his arms were around her made Cassie feel safe and protected, but just the simple touch of his rough hands against her soft skin had her shivering in anticipation of his hands touching her beneath her clothes. She ached for the feel of his touch on her breasts, to have those callused palms brush across the peaks of her nipples, before sliding down the smooth plane of her stomach to caress her tenderly between her trembling thighs.

There was no denying it any longer, whatever she was feeling for Rick was light-years ahead of the desire she had possessed for Tyler and that revelation both thrilled her and terrified her. Bursting with nervous energy, Cassie pushed away from the door and felt her way in the darkness to the counter where she knew there was a small flashlight left by the sink. She skimmed her hand over the cool counter top until she located it and flipped on the switch. Using the narrow beam of light, she checked her reflection in the mirror as best as she could; making sure there wasn't any residual food in her teeth from the dinner she had managed to choke down at the Collins house and smoothing down a few fly-away’s in her wild mane of raven black hair. Lastly, she simply stared at herself in the mirror and chewed on her plump lower lip as the woman in the mirror did the same and blinked back at her without offering any answers on how to quell the building tension that coursed through her body.

From down the hallway, she heard the telltale sign of a door clicking shut. Rick had finished talking to Carl and was back in the hallway now. Cassie took a deep breath that did nothing to calm her nerves, clicked off the flashlight and felt her way out of the bathroom. Out in the hallway, the bright light from the lantern in Rick's hand guided her to him. They met in the middle of the hallway with palpable tension crackling between them.

The awkward silence from their walk home continued to plague them both. Standing in the hallway, mere inches from one another, and the stillness in the house surrounded them. Cassie was certain that Rick could hear her heart hammering away in her chest thanks to the screaming silence. She opened her mouth to ask how the kids were, to break the awkward silence, but was cut off by his sudden movement. Rick's lips crashed down on to hers. The lantern bounced against her buttocks as he slipped his arms around her and pulled her tight against his body. Cassie melted in to his embrace and sighed with happiness against his lips.

Tangled in each other's arms and connected by the lips, they headed towards his bedroom, down the hallway in the opposite direction of his children's bedrooms. Their feet shuffled and bumped in to one another as they ungracefully stumbled through the threshold of the master bedroom, the urgency in their journey sent the door slamming against the wall and was loud enough to jar them apart momentarily.

Rick placed the lantern on the dresser and closed the door quietly, after listening with the attentive ear of a parent to make sure that his baby was still thoroughly exploring dreamland. Cassie licked her lips and let out a shuddering breath when he turned back to her with that fierceness in his crystal blue eyes that punched her in the stomach with the intensity that radiated from them.

The edge of the mattress pushed against the backs of her thighs as she stood between the bed and Rick. Only inches away from one another, her body trembled with anticipation as he lifted a hand and gently placed it on her hip. The urgency in their kiss had faded, cooled thanks to the sudden interruption from the door slamming loudly, and without it Cassie was filled with a nervous electricity that she had never experienced before.

"I don't know why I'm so nervous." Cassie admitted shyly, her voice huskier than normal. "But, I am...which doesn't make sense, because it's not like this is my first time." Or third, or tenth, or fiftieth, but there was no point in bringing that up, no sense in letting him know that she was very much used goods.

"You're nervous and I'm not." Rick tilted his head and gazed into Cassie's dark chocolate eyes. His body was alight with sexual desire, a feeling that he had thought he would never feel again after the betrayal of his wife's wedding vows and her death, which had left a hole in him that he wasn't sure was repairable. He lifted a hand and brushed aside a swatch of Cassie's thick black hair, before caressing the soft skin of her cheek with the pad of his thumb. "Although I should be."

"Why should you be nervous? It's clearly not your first time either." Cassie fell back on humor to in hopes of alleviating some of the tension in the room.

"No, not my first time, that's for sure." Rick leaned in close and feathered a kiss over the cheekbone he'd just brushed his thumb over. Softly, he kissed a line down her cheek to her lips and covered them with his own. Pulling back slightly, the next words out of his mouth damn near knocked Cassie over with surprise. "I've never been with anyone other than Lori."

"You've only had sex with your wife? With one woman?" Cassie's eyes were wide with shock. She would have never guessed that someone with such a raw sexuality would have been a one woman man, but then again, appearances were often deceiving. She shook her head slightly side to side and asked, "How is that even possible? I mean, have you seen you?"

"I'll take that as a compliment." Rick laughed lightly, remembering the same level of shock that Lori had exhibited upon finding out that he was a virgin, despite being a sophomore in college. "I was a late bloomer, I guess. Nothing but skin and bones in high school, definitely wasn't a ladies man. Had to live vicariously through the stories my best friend would tell me of his weekend conquests." In fact, had it not been for a blow job in the cab of his truck on prom night, Rick would have graduated high school with only the knowledge of how a woman's bra covered breast felt while making out.

"We don't have to do this, you know? I mean, maybe you should wait for someone else...you know, someone with a less colorful history? Someone special?" Cassie stammered and ducked her head to keep Rick from seeing the embarrassment and shame that colored her cheeks in regards to her past.

Rick slid his hand beneath Cassie's chin and lifted her gaze to meet his. "I'm here with you, Cassie. I want you."

In the back of her mind, she was suddenly reminded of Sam's comment about Rick being one of those rare 'one woman kind of men' and for the first time ever she wished she could go back in time, to high school, and change her past so that she could be someone worthy of a man like Rick Grimes. "It's just, well...shit. Don't you want someone else? Someone who doesn't have so many...mistakes in their life?" She found it difficult to admit to him just how many partners she'd had over the years, how many men she'd tumbled into bed with and not thought twice about it until her past had crept up and turned her into an embarrassment in Tyler's eyes, to the point he refused to be seen with her in public as anything other than the brother to her best friend. And now, standing in front of a man like Rick, an honorable man who made her knees weak with just one touch, one glance, one smile, she was terrified that if he found out who she truly was that he might treat her the same way.

"Everyone's made mistakes, Cassie. Anyone that tells you otherwise is lying. I don't give a damn about what you've done or who you've been with before now. All that matters from here on out is you're with me. Me and me alone, so long as we're together you're mine. Just mine." He had never been the overly possessive type, and maybe that's where he went wrong with Lori. Maybe women, some women anyway, needed to hear the need to be the only one in their life; needed to be claimed. Maybe, just maybe, he had never fully made his wife believe in his desire for her, only her, and no one else. It's possible that was where he went wrong and Shane slipped in undetected, because Shane had never been one to shy away from taking what he thought he deserved. Shane had never been the meek type.  
Cassie couldn't find her words, or rather, she couldn't find the right words to properly respond to Rick's declaration. His hands were on either side of her face, holding her so that all she could do was look directly into that intense gaze of his. Slowly, with their eyes connected on one another, she nodded her head and promised, "Just yours."

Rick kissed her then, hard and demanding enough to take away her breath. Cassie melted against him and eagerly met his lips with the almost overwhelming strength of her own desire, her own need that had been locked away against its will since the first night they had spent time together, all the way back to the first weekend that he'd been in town. There was a fire burning deep inside her body, a heat like nothing she had ever experienced before, and it threatened to rage higher, burn brighter and sear her completely if she didn't allow it to have what it hungered for. Rick.

His hands slid down to her shoulders, ghosted over the length of her bare arms, and grasped hold of her waist tightly; his fingers dug in to her gentle curves deeply as he tugged her roughly against his body. Pressed against Rick, Cassie felt the evidence of his arousal shoved between their bodies, rock hard and thick. He loosened his hold on her waist and slipped his hands over the swell of her womanly hips and fisted the material of her dress, holding his fists at her thighs for a whisper of a moment, before finally tugging it up her body; baring her to his eyes with each slip of the fabric.

As the charcoal gray dress fell to the ground by their feet, Cassie struggled to catch her breath in hopes that doing so would slow the rapid thumping of her heart that threatened to beat right out of her chest. His hungry gaze washed over her body, clad in only a matching set of lacy undergarments the color of a full bodied Merlot, and she trembled at the passion in Rick's eyes. She had never felt more beautiful in a man's gaze than she did at that moment, nor had she ever felt that vulnerable.  
Rick tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but his mouth had gone dry the moment Cassie's dress slipped over her head. Sure, she'd spent every night for the past week in his bed, but she'd worn boxers and a loose fitting tank each time; enough to show that she had one hell of a figure under the garments, but covered enough so that he didn't know exactly how fucking fantastic it was. But, standing in front of him now, Rick got an eyeful of exactly what he had been missing out on this whole time.

Cassie Delaney had a body built for sin. Designed by the devil strictly for temptation and wanton delight. Creamy, supple breasts filled the delicate lace of her bra, a narrow waist and delicious full hips completed the perfect hourglass figure that any man would surely kill to spend time with. Just looking at her beautiful body had him hardening further, pressing tightly against the zipper in his pants hard enough that if he didn't do something to alleviate the pressure soon he was going to end up with teeth marks from the zipper permanently marking his dick.

Like a kid in a candy store, Rick honestly didn't know where to start, what to touch, what to grab, what to take as his. His eyes finally worked their way up the curves of her luscious body and made contact with her eyes. The vulnerability in them bowled him over. Surely this woman knew how absolutely breathtaking she was, right? Reaching out to Cassie, he settled his hands on the swell of her hips and pulled her towards him. Leaning in to kiss her, Rick murmured against her plump lips, "Beautiful."

Cassie's skin was on fire, scorching beneath the feel of his hands caressing over her body. She moaned against his lips as the kiss deepened, his tongue pushing past her lips to taste her, devour her. She buried her hands in the thick curls at the nape of his neck and pressed her body tightly against his. His hands worked their way upwards from the curve of her ass to work on the clasp of her bra, his inexperience in women's undergarments proving difficult for a moment, before claiming success. Rick pulled down the straps of her bra and broke from their embrace to remove the lacy cups from her full breasts. She shivered with desire when his hands closed over her breasts, one hand barely covering each breast.

While he had obviously no qualms with his wife's small breasts, he'd always been the stereotypical boob man starting all the way back to his junior year in high school when Jennie Wilson had finally let him do some under the sweater groping in the back of his car after baseball practice one afternoon. Now, it seemed he had all the breasts he could possibly need. The full globes of creamy flesh filled his hands, with plenty left over. Her hardened nipples, a dark rosy hue, pressed against his palms and he moved his hands slowly over them, eliciting a throaty moan of desire from Cassie. He glanced up at her and found Cassie staring back at him with heavy lidded eyes as her teeth tugged on her full bottom lip. Rick was torn, he wanted to kiss that luscious lip, but his mouth also wanted to taste the supple flesh of her breasts.  
Her knees nearly buckled from the simple feel of Rick's lips closing around one pert nipple. Cassie cradled his head in her hands and thrust her fingers through his curls at the nape of his neck as he suckled at her breast. Although she thought she might spontaneously combust from arousal at any moment, Cassie let Rick explore; caressing her breasts with his lips, flicking at her nipples with his tongue and scrapping his teeth across the swollen nubs. She had never begged for any man out of want, not even Tyler, but with Rick she was on the verge of whimpering and pleading. As though he sensed her desperation, Rick lifted his head and pinned her with a heated stare to show just how much need had built inside of him, too.

Rick heard what was quite possibly a growl from Cassie as she started in on his clothes, pulling his shirt off of his body so quickly that he was amazed there weren't any buttons ripped from it in the process. While she worked on his belt, Rick toed off his boots before lifting his hands to help her; both of their hands trembling with nervous desire. His pants slid down his thighs, followed quickly by his boxers and socks, and puddled around his ankles. Rick stepped out of the garments as he eased Cassie back on to the bed, her raven black hair spilled out around her in stark contrast against the pale comforter.

Cassie lifted her hips off the bed when Rick hooked his thumbs around the sides of her panties to slide them off of her long legs; tossing them to the floor with their mound of discarded clothes. He covered her body with his, heated flesh against heated flesh. The hairs on his legs tickled her thighs as he settled between them and nestled his thick erection against her moist sex. It was that contact that made Cassie groan in frustration when she remembered the lack of protection. "We don't have a condom. I...I'm clean, I promise. It's just, no pill." How could she have been stupid enough not to grab her own box of condoms at the supply store the other day? When had she ever not been prepared for sex? Probably when she suddenly became comfortable with snuggling at night instead of fucking, oddly preferring the feel of a man's body holding her tightly while she slept, instead of filling her body for only a moment's worth of passion.

"Hang on." Rick crawled off her body, leaving her skin feeling cool without his touch, and went over to the nightstand. Cassie eased up onto her elbows and watched as he reached into the drawer and produced a strip of condoms. He turned and caught her staring, she could have sworn his whole body blushed with embarrassment before he returned to settle between her thighs once more. "I, um, wanted to be prepared...just in case."

"You were a Boy Scout, weren't you?" Cassie asked, her voice huskier than normal, and laughed when Rick saluted her with what she assumed was the proper Scout hand gesture. "I love it when a man is prepared for anything."

Sheathed in protection, their eyes joined as he slipped inside her moist heat. Her body had been ready for his long before they'd made it to his house, making the typical foreplay unnecessary. There would be plenty of time later to explore each other's bodies, and taste the one another's arousal. Tonight the need was too strong to wait any longer.

A deep groan slid from Rick's lips at the feel of being inside Cassie, it had been far too long since he'd experienced the touch of a woman. Her thighs cradled him tightly as they moved together in a dance as old as time. The sharp prick of her nails on his back spurned him to move faster, thrust harder, until the sting of that pain morphed into pure ecstasy. Her beauty before the moment she came apart in his arms was nothing compared to the way she looked when he watched her shatter around him; absolutely luminous. She continued to rock against him, tightening her legs around his waist and digging the heels of her feet against his ass as she rode him to completion. The strangled moan of his released filled the room and mixed with her throaty moans of desire. Utterly spent, Rick laid on top of Cassie and pressed a kiss onto the sweat glistened skin between her breasts, before resting his head on the pillowy mounds until he found the strength to move.  
He could hear her heart thudding in her chest, oddly soothing, as she held him against her chest. And, in that moment, Rick was as content and relaxed as he had been in a long time...even before that fateful day he'd been shot while on duty and the rest of the world had fallen apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well? What'd ya think? Was it everything you'd hoped it would be?


	128. Chapter 128

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the reviews last week.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

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**Saturday, April 28th, 2012**  
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The Collins residence was slowly winding down for the night. Dinner had been picked at here and there, more out of something to do rather than actual hunger, and the younger children had already been tucked into bed upstairs, except for Jacey, who refused to leave Sam's side and was now asleep on the couch next to them. Actually, Daryl was the only one of their trio that was awake, sitting in the middle of the sofa with Sam's head in his lap and sprawled out in one direction and Jacey tucked in against him on the other side. He'd had to take a piss for a while now, but didn't want to wake either of them up to do so.

"Why don't you take Sam upstairs? Get some rest?" Lindy said quietly from the kitchen doorway, where she leaned against the doorframe with a steaming mug of tea clasped in her hands. Dark circles rested below her eyes and the stress of the day could be seen in the hard set of her jaw. Donna's death had hit her hard, having been part of the family for over twenty five years, she felt like one of her daughter's instead of simply being part of the family by marriage. When Daryl's eyes cut over to where Jacey was laying, she added, "Bo can take her up."

"Don't wanna wake up Sam." Daryl replied, keeping his gravelly voice lower than normal in hopes that he wouldn't wake up either of the girls next to him. While he knew that Jacey would be back asleep in a heartbeat, Daryl figured if Sam got woken up she would be awake for a while, if not for the rest of the night.

"No worries there. She's going to be out for a while." Krista scooted past Lindy and headed in to the living room to start cleaning up the mess left behind by the children and the dinner they hadn't eaten at the table, instead taking bites here and there off plates that were now littering the coffee table.

An expression of confusion crossed Daryl's face for a fleeting moment, before the sight of the mug Sam had drank tea from in Krista's hand. "What'd you give her?" He asked sharply, raising his voice out of anger at the audacity of Sam's family. "Did she know?"

"It was her anxiety medication. Donna used to have me crush it in Sam's tea with lots of mint and honey whenever she was upset or stressed." Krista froze in the wake of anger that filled Daryl's voice and the heated stare he had her pinned with. "I've been making it for her for years. Sam knew what was in that tea."

"You sure about that?" Daryl barked as he scooted his lap out from beneath Sam's head to stand up. Glancing down at her, he saw that she barely even registered the movement. "She doesn't like taking the meds, Krista. Said so herself, except when she's having one of those attacks."

"I didn't know. I swear, Daryl. I thought Donna told her, or she asked for it." Krista shook her head adamantly side to side to mark her words. She would never drug anyone without their consent. Never. "I'm sorry."

"This fucking family." Daryl growled in disbelief and annoyance. "She's allowed to be upset, her mother died. None of you want to deal with her having any actual emotions, just want her happy and smiling all the damned time." He glared angrily at both of Sam's sisters in law, before telling them exactly how things were going to be from here on out. "You don't give her shit from here on out. You got that? Not a damned thing unless she asks for it."

Both Krista and Lindy nodded in quiet disagreement, neither wanting to provoke the anger that seethed from Daryl to lash out at them any further. The feral look in his dark blue eyes cut through them both before he turned his attention back to Sam. Leaning down, he grabbed hold of the crossbow that rested against the end table and slung it over his back before gently pulling Sam into his arms. As he rounded the coffee table, he cut his gaze back at Jacey and then over to Lindy, who nodded with understanding.

Daryl navigated his way through the darkened foyer and up the stairs to Sam's childhood bedroom. Luckily the door was still open from when she went up there earlier in the night, so he didn't have to figure out how to get it opened with her in his arms. There was enough moonlight slipping in through the front windows to allow him to see his way to the bed, where he laid Sam down as gently as possible. True to Krista's words, Sam didn't wake up at all during the whole trip. He quietly cursed the audacity of her family while covering her up with the blanket that was laid across the end of the bed.

Daryl slipped the strap of his bow over his head and rested it against the bookshelf on the opposite side of the bed before retreating to the bathroom to take care of that need to piss he'd been holding in for hours. Afterwards, he closed the bedroom door and crawled in to bed next to Sam and pulled her in to his arms. Even with the anger that coursed through his veins, it didn't take him long to fall asleep.

He wasn't surprised by the fact that Sam hadn't slept as long as he had assumed she would when he woke hours later. He was, however, surprised that her exit from not only the bed, but the room itself, hadn't woken him up. She had gotten stealthier with age.

Familiar with Sam even after all the years they'd spent apart, Daryl knew where he would find her. Quietly, he slipped from the bedroom and crossed the foyer and headed down the back stairs, forgetting to skip the first step that squeaked and hoped he hadn't woken anyone up. True to form, Sam was sitting on the bench at the piano, one solitary candle lit and perched on top of the glossy black instrument. He closed the door and crossed over to sit down on the bench next to her, his back resting against the piano. "How long you been up?"

"A while." Sam didn't look up from the ivory keys where her fingers rested on the wood just below them. A forlorn expression filled her face as she stared down at the piano. "I wanted to write something, just for her. But, I can't find it...the words, the music. It's just not there. It's like I'm all foggy and can't focus."

"It'll come. Always does." Daryl reassuringly murmured, knowing full well what was causing the fogginess in her brain, but he didn't to get into that discussion at that moment. He hoped she would return to bed and sleep off the medication still coursing through her bloodstream. Reaching out, he brushed aside the curtain of golden hair that partially blocked her face from his gaze. The faint light in the room made the shadows under her eyes look darker than they were. "Come back to bed. Get some rest and try again later."

"I can't remember if I told her that I loved her." Sam ignored his suggestion, but she did lift her gaze to look at him with sorrow in her eyes. "That day, when I saw her after dinner, before she died...I can't remember if I told her. What if she didn't know?"

"Donna knew you loved her Sam. She knew, don't second guess that." He leaned forward and brushed a kiss across her cheek and rested his forehead against the side of her face. "And, she loved you."

"How do you deal with it all? The death and the awfulness of the world? How do you just keep going like it's not there?" Sam turned to look at him, their faces only a breath apart and she didn't miss the flicker of hurt in his gaze. She squeezed her eyes closed and tried to shake away the haziness at the edge of her mind. Her tongue felt thick as she tried to explain what she really meant. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I know you hurt, I remember...I heard you, you know? At night, in our bedroom...I'd stand outside the door and listen to you cry after Emily died. I wanted so badly to open that door and go to you, to make you not hurt anymore, but I couldn't. I'm sorry I couldn't."

"Wasn't just crying because I lost Emily...I lost you, too." Daryl admitted softly. He had no clue she had even paid his pain any attention, so engrossed in her own heartbreak and guilt, he had assumed her own pain had pushed any concern for his own out of the way. "Why couldn’t you have come in? If you'd have just opened the damn door...shit, if you'd have just come in there we might've not had to spend all them years apart."

"I wanted to tell you it wasn't your fault. I knew it wasn't, eventually anyway. I hated hearing you cry." Sam's eyes shimmered with tears and her chest burned as she tried to hold them at bay. "But, if I forgave you then I'd have had to forgive myself...and I couldn't do that, Daryl. I still can't."

"You've got to forgive yourself, Sam. Letting that guilt, guilt you don't deserve, eat away at you ain't never gonna let you move on. You gotta stop living in the past." Daryl reached up and brushed away the tears that finally spilled from Sam's eyes. "You've gotta let yourself heal. That don't mean you gotta stop loving her, or stop missing her, it just means you gotta move on and let yourself be happy."

"I know." Sam agreed softly, leaning her head in to Daryl's touch as he gently cupped her cheek after wiping the tears from her skin. "I am happy, at times...when I'm with Jacey or...when I'm with you. It just seems like the universe won't let me happy for long. I wish I could be as strong as you, to be able to push past everything and not let it weigh so heavily on me every single day."

"Just 'cause I don't let it show don't mean it don't hurt." Daryl sighed and dropped his hand from Sam's cheek to rest in his lap. "Hell, Sam, after I left here I wasn't myself neither, not like I was when I was with you. I let the darkness in, took a long time to push it back. I ain't no more perfect than you are. If I can learn to live with the darkness, you can, too."

Silent, Sam pondered his words, but didn't comment on them. She was tired of talking about feeling and ready to feel something other than sadness, the way she felt when she was with him. She needed his hands on her skin, his lips on hers and the fire that was ignited whenever he touched her. Leaning in to Daryl, she covered his lips with her own and kissed him, softly at first, before letting her need loose on him.

Their position was awkward and didn't allow either of them the access to the other that they desired. Daryl grabbed Sam around the waist and pulled her deftly into his lap to face him. Capturing her lips once more, he slipped his tongue in to her mouth to taste her, while sliding his hands up the bare skin of her thigh beneath her now wrinkled dress. Sam moaned against his lips and wriggled against his growing erection, letting him feel the heat from her sex through his clothes.

He slid his hands further up her thighs and around her hips to cup her ass, one plump buttock in each hand, and kneaded it while she rocked against him and whimpered with need. The piano bench was uncomfortable to him and he knew that it couldn't feel good pressed against Sam's knees with the way she was crouched in his lap.

Daryl stood up from the bench with Sam in his arms, his hands tightly grasping her buttocks and her legs cinched around his waist. Miraculously, he managed to get upright without lurching to either side, even with her in his arms doing sinful things with her teeth and mouth on his neck. He shuffled across to the couch and sank down slowly onto the soft cushions. Sam adjusted herself so that she was kneeling on either side of his thighs as s pushed her heated center urgently against his hardened shaft.

There was a momentary flicker of thought in the back of his mind that reminded him that they didn't have any protection, but the feel of Sam's hand wrapping around his cock pushed aside those nagging thoughts. While he had no clue when she had managed to get his pants undone without him noticing, Daryl didn't really care. Lips locked, he moaned into her mouth and thrust against the tight grip of her hand as she squeezed him with just enough pressure to spike his body with mind-numbing desire. The pad of her thumb swiped over the tip of his shaft, spreading the moisture gathered there around the velvety smooth head and Daryl bucked against her touch once more and nearly wept when she pulled her hand away.

Sam reached beneath the hemline of her dress and pushed the skirt upwards enough to reach her underwear. Too far gone, too desperate for the feel of Daryl inside her to crawl off his lap to remove her already soaked panties, she improvised and shoved the crotch to the side a split second before she used her other hand to guide him inside of her body. She moaned at the delicious feel of his cock filling her inch by inch, until he was buried to the hilt inside of her body.

"Sam, we...oh God, we don't got a condom." Daryl managed to get out his concern between clenched teeth as Sam lowered herself on to his shaft and squeezed him with her moist heat. He grabbed hold of her narrow waist hard enough that there would likely be bruises the next morning and tried his best to not let his baser emotions take control of the situation. "Did you hear me?"

"I need you." She replied breathlessly, eyes closed as she bit down on her lower lip and shook her head slowly from side to side. The only thing she wanted at that moment was Daryl, nothing else mattered and the sensible part of her brain was lost to the desire that coursed through her body.

Sam's hands were tightly clasped in the material of his shirt above his chest as she moved her hips in slow, deliberate circles, relishing the feel of him inside of her. She leaned forward and captured his lips, biting the lower one rougher than she'd meant to before thrusting her tongue in to his mouth to devour him until they were both breathless. With her forehead pressed against his, eyes closed as she lifted her body slightly, only enough to allow her to sink back down on to his shaft and elicit a deep groan of arousal from Daryl. His stilled body beneath hers infuriated Sam, she needed him to move with her, against her, inside of her. She needed to erase the pain in her heart, needed him to make her forget, even if just for a moment. "I need this, Daryl. I need you."

He was so screwed and he knew it. The breathy sounds of Sam's voice pleading for him while she clenched her tight walls around his cock was too much. The nagging voice in his head screamed at him to stop, telling him that Sam wasn't thinking clearly, that whatever medication her sister in law gave her earlier was obviously making her not think straight, but desire shoved that annoying voice to the dark recesses of his mind. It had been too long, yet only a few days, since it had been just the two of them, just their bodies and nothing else, and the feel of her with nothing wrapped around his dick was too damned delicious.

Sam rode him with everything she had left to give that night, wild with abandon; pulling him out of her body and thrusting back down on to his hard, thick cock. When Daryl's hands moved up from her waist and shoved down the top of her dress, pinning her arms at her sides with the straps to free her breasts, Sam's head leaned back and a loud moan slipped from her lips as his covered one pert nipple to suckle at it greedily. Unable to move her arms because of the straps holding them down, she rested her hands on his thighs as she ground her sex against his, fiercely riding him, milking their bodies of all the pent up emotions inside of them.

Suckling at Sam's breast, Daryl thrust up in to her body and bit down one the tight nub in his mouth with enough force to tear a cry of desire from her. There was no need for his Sam to be quiet tonight since they were locked away in the soundproofed music room that he had wanted to fuck her in back when they were dating just to see if anyone heard them. He wanted her to let go, to scream and cry out his name. Daryl shoved his hands beneath her dress, slid his palms up her thighs with the intention of showing that delicate nub at her apex some attention in hopes that he could send her spiraling head long in to climax, but found that her underwear was in the way. Growling in frustration, Daryl grabbed hold of one side of the silky material and yanked at her panties until they gave way in his hands. In tatters, he shoved the panties to the floor and claimed his prize.

Sam heard the tearing of her underwear a moment before Daryl's fingers slid over her clit, sparking an electric charge that seared through her body. She ground her body against his as she searched for the release that would erase the ever present pain in her heart, even for just a little while. His thrusts became more urgent beneath her and Sam met each one with the same intensity as Daryl's fingers coaxed pleasure from the delicate nun of desire beneath her golden curls. The arousal, the need, the desire soared in her body and tore through Sam with a glorious intensity she hadn't expected.

"That's it. Let it go." Daryl growled when Sam tilted her head back, her mouth open in a silent scream of pleasure as her orgasm ripped through her body. He thrust inside her roughly, while keeping the tip of his fingers pressed against her clit, massaging the sensitive nub until a true scream came out. Hearing Sam cry out loudly from the pleasure he gave her had Daryl following closely behind. Thrusting and grunting, he came deep inside of her, filling Sam with his hot release, and crying out with a fierce growl of satisfaction.

Sam fell against Daryl's chest with the limb bodied feel of someone who had truly been fucked, with a smile of content pleasure on her face. He was still hard inside of her, his strong arms wrapped around her body as she floated down from her sexual high, and welcomed the glow of happiness that moment had provided her with.

Tomorrow, or later that day, her mind would clear from the medication she'd been given unknowingly, and the consequences of their actions would come to light. But, for that moment in time, Sam could just blissfully lay in Daryl's arms and have not a worry in the world.


	129. Chapter 129

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the reviews! :)

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Sunday, April 29th, 2012**  
_

Later that morning, after several hours of sleep and a heavy dose of avoidance from both of them, Sam and Daryl made their way down the stairs of her parent's house...no, now just her father's house and followed the sounds of childlike laughter towards the rear of the house. In the kitchen, they located Jacey, Kline and Katherine who were eating breakfast, as well as her sister in laws and fifteen year old niece, Bailey, who had either already finished eating or lacked hunger, like Sam.

"Morning." Krista greeted them as they crossed into the kitchen. Her expression was guarded, many years as a doctor had taught her to keep her emotions under check enough to keep them off of her face. Avoiding eye contact with Daryl, she pushed an empty mug across the counter towards Sam and said, "Water's still hot if you want some tea. Did you sleep okay?"

"For the most part. Slept like the dead for a couple of hours, must've been more tired than I thought." Unaware of the tension in the room between Daryl and her sisters in law, Sam shoved a tea bag into her mug and poured hot water over it. "I swear, whatever you put in that magic tea of yours calms my nerves enough that I fall straight to sleep."

"Yeah, about that," Krista started, her cheeks nearly as red as her hair, as she realized that Sam truly had no clue about what was really in the tea that Donna had often requested be made for her. "I didn't know that you..." Her confession was cut off by a sharp glance from Daryl, who shook his head and jutted his chin out in the direction of the children.

"Not in front of Jace." He barked out the order, his voice full of gravel and grit and his stare still riddled with the anger he'd held on to upon learning that Sam had periodically been drugged by her family to keep her cool and calm. So they didn't have to deal with her being anything other than what they expected of her...perfection.

"What's going on?" Sam lowered the mug that she had been blowing on to cool the contents enough to drink. She sat it down on the counter and curiously glanced from Daryl to Krista and waited for one of them to answer her. When neither of them spoke fast enough for her liking, she tried again, "What about the tea? Someone tell me what's going on."

Stepping in, Lindy turned to her youngest daughter, Bailey, and said, "Stay in here with the kids, okay? We need to go talk in the other room." Without waiting for her daughter to respond, or do anything other than stare at the adults in the room with wide eyes as the tension in the room became thick enough to cut with a plastic knife, Lindy ushered Sam, Krista and Daryl in to the living room. Once they were on the other side of the room, sufficiently out of earshot of the children so long as they kept their voices down, she gestured towards Krista and said, "Sam, you may want to sit down for this."

"Sam, I honestly had no idea you didn't know what was being put in that tea. I swear, I would never do anything that would upset you, you know that, right?" Krista started as Sam sank down on to the couch, beginning with what should have been the end of the explanation instead of the start of it, since all it did was further confuse the situation and put Sam's nerves on edge. "Your mom asked me to do it, to put some of your anxiety medication into the tea to calm you down. We didn't do it a lot, just if you were stressed or upset over something and she was afraid it would lead to a panic attack. I swear, I never meant to do anything behind your back."

"Wait. What?" Sam's brow wrinkled with confusion as she pieced together Krista's hurried confession. She glanced over at Daryl, who was leaning with one shoulder against the wall with a stare of utter aggravation plastered on his face, and then back to Krista. "You've been giving me my meds in the tea? Mom asked you to do it? I don't...why would she...I don't understand why she would do that."

"Sam, you know how much it hurt your mother to see you have those attacks. She just wanted to prevent anything like that from happening when she could by giving you the tea. Donna didn't mean anything by it, she just wanted to keep you from panicking." Lindy stepped in as she joined Sam on the couch. She reached out to try and take Sam's hand, only to have Sam jerk away from her quickly.

"You knew, too? Did everyone know? Was it all some sort of harebrained conspiracy to keep 'Crazy Sam' medicated so you didn't have to deal with me?" Sam shrieked as she jumped up from the couch and headed straight for the only person she could trust in the room. She was shaking with anger by the time she reached Daryl, and was grateful when he opened his arms and welcomed her into his embrace. She pressed her cheek against his chest and remembered just how groggy she'd been the night before, how even after several hours of sleep she'd felt off, foggy, and not completely like herself.

And that's when she realized how it came to be that she hadn't even considered her actions when she'd crawled on top of Daryl and proceeded to have unprotected sex without even worrying about the consequences. How much of that medication did they put in her tea? It wasn't enough to make the night a blur, but it had been enough to ease away her anxiety and inhibitions. Hell, it wasn't like she could even blame Daryl for anything, because she halfway recalled him trying to tell her that they didn't have a condom, before she had all but forced herself on him. Who could blame the guy for giving in when she had her hand wrapped around his dick and was too busy shoving it inside of her to fully comprehend what he was trying to say?

Sam glanced up at Daryl and found him glaring over the top of her head to where her sisters in law were sitting next to one another on the couch. She sighed and maneuvered herself around in his arms so that she was facing them when she spoke. "You've got no idea what you've done. No idea at all." She slipped from Daryl's arms with the intention of going to get Jacey from the kitchen, but the sudden desire to not even be in the house shot through her. "Can you get Jacey? Tell her it's time to go home. I...I need to get out of here. I need some fresh air, I need to breathe and think. I'll be outside."

"What did we do? She just slept, right? Nothing happened?" Krista asked worriedly, glancing from Daryl to the door that Sam had just slammed behind her. "I didn't mean for anything to happen. I just wanted her to get some rest."

"Yeah, well, road to Hell's paved with good intentions." Daryl offered in response as he headed towards the kitchen to grab Jacey and head home. He'd seen the realization in Sam's eyes when she figured out exactly what had caused her to be less than concerned about an unwanted pregnancy during the night. Guilt weighed heavily on his own conscience for that interlude in the music room. He should have stopped her, he was strong enough that he could have lifted her off his lap and extricated himself from the situation, but he hadn't...he'd given in to the demands of his dick, like he was some goddamned horny teenager.

Now Daryl had to worry how Sam was going to deal with the whole situation. She'd been fairly adamant last weekend when she'd expressed her concern over getting pregnant and Daryl had to admit that she was right. While he wasn't actually opposed to the thought of having a child with Sam, he wanted it to be something that she wanted, too. And, after seeing the worry on her face and the conviction in her voice about getting pregnant, he wasn't sure that she even wanted to entertain the notion of having a baby that was planned, much less getting pregnant again by mistake.

For some reason, when it came to him and Sam, nothing ever went as either of them planned.


	130. Chapter 130

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the reviews! Only 10 more chapters to go! *sniff sniff*

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Sunday, April 29th, 2012**  
_

When they rounded the corner to Daryl's house, Sam spied Cassie sitting on the back porch of Rick’s house with baby Judith perched in her lap. Bypassing Daryl’s house, Sam caught Cassie’s eye as she made her way over to her best friend and was nearly bowled over by the level of pure bliss that radiated from her. Feeling fairly certain that last night had been 'The' night for the couple, Sam added a smile of her own; truly happy for the brightness of her best friend's smile.

Only slightly embarrassed by her own disheveled appearance since Cassie looked even more beautiful than normal, if that was even possible, Sam smoothed her hands over the heavily wrinkled front of her black funeral dress as she walked up the stairs to Rick's back porch. She had intended on going home or to Daryl’s after visiting with her family for a while once the funeral was over, but those plans had gone awry after drinking the large mug of drugged tea.

As Sam climbed the stairs, Cassie passed Judith off to Rick and engulfed her in a tight embrace the moment she stepped onto the porch; which Sam returned with equal enthusiasm. When they broke apart, Sam smiled knowingly up at Cassie and said, "Well, good morning to you, too."

"Oh, huh, yeah." Cassie's face flushed red at the inflection in Sam's comment and realized that her friend knew exactly what she and Rick had been up after leaving the Collin's residence the night before. Smothering a giggle of sheer happiness, she pointed to the French press style coffee pot sitting on the table next to Rick and asked, "You want some coffee? I know it's not really your thing without all that sugar, but...If you don't mind me saying, you look kinda tired."

"I could've slept a little longer, but no, thanks on the coffee." Sam punctuated her words with a yawn, which led to a concerned look from Cassie. Waving off her friend's worries, Sam leaned on the railing next to Daryl, who had an oddly quiet Jacey snuggled against his thigh, and glanced down at her daughter and asked. "I'm going to run home for a little while, if that's okay? Take a shower, or maybe a bath, and change. You want to come with or stay with Daryl?"

“I wanna stay here with Daryl.” Jacey replied, her normally boisterous voice oddly timid and worrisome enough to have Sam worried. She looked up at Daryl with concern obviously etched across her face, because he rubbed Jacey’s back comfortingly while reassuring Sam that everything would be fine long enough for her to run home and bathe.

"Go on, get cleaned up. Jace and I will hang out here." Daryl put his arm around Sam's shoulder and pulled her close enough to brush a kiss across her forehead. He wanted to say that he could use the rainwater reserve to draw her a bath at his house and run to her apartment for some of her clothes while she lounged in it, so that she didn't leave, but he understood her need to have some time alone. The fact that they were going to have to have a serious discussion at some point that night, after Jacey went to sleep, only added to the stress Daryl knew Sam must be under at the moment.

"I'll walk with you!" Cassie exclaimed, eager to share her excitement from her night with Rick with her best friend. Plus, after two rounds of sex, she was in dire need of a shower herself. Just the thought of their morning activities had her skin flushing as she recalled the way they had woken up as the sun was rising and sought out and embraced one another. 

Leaning over, Cassie connected her lips with Rick's and kissed him goodbye, adding a whisper of a kiss across the downy honey blonde hair on Judith’s head before straightening. "I'll see you at lunch." She whispered huskily, before she turned to Sam and clapped her hands together, "Alright, let's get this show on the road."

"You need anything from our place, Jace?" Sam asked as she brushed aside one of the many unruly locks of golden curls on her daughter's head. The level of quiet the child was giving off was disconcerting and Sam shared a look of worry with Daryl, as his sister hugged herself as close as possible to his thigh. Leaning in close to Jacey, she asked, "You okay, baby girl?"  
"I'm fine." Jacey mumbled in response, although the shimmer in her eyes let Sam know she felt just the opposite. "I don't need anything from home."

"Okay, I'll see you at lunch then." Sam kissed Jacey on the forehead and straightened. Fully intent on talking to her daughter in private later that afternoon, Sam let the issue drop for the moment until they were alone. She stepped closer to Daryl and leaned in to kiss him lightly on the lips and said goodbye, before following Cassie down the stairs and in the direction of home.  
Once they were on to the street and out of earshot of the others, Sam finally let a grin spread across her face as she cut a glance out of the corner of her eye to Cassie. "Someone's happy this morning. Got this whole glowing thing going on. I assume that means you and Rick finally did the deed?"

"Yes!" Cassie cried triumphantly as she skipped for a few paces. "And, it was magnificent! It really was! I mean, just nothing like I've ever experienced before."

"Ever? Really?" Sam couldn't help the surprise that tinted her voice, before following it up with a chuckle at the way Cassie shimmied and skipped down the street. "You've had um, several 'experiences', but last night was the best? Go Rick."

Cassie stopped dancing around and grabbed hold of Sam's hand as they continued towards home. She sighed dreamily and said, "It was just....Wow, you know? I don't know, Sam, there was just something so special about it. And, I felt different than normal...it was like there was this bubble inside, and I didn't know if I wanted to laugh or maybe cry while we had sex, but it was there...and it was something I've never felt before. Has that ever happened to you?"

She had felt that way before, but only with one person...Daryl. In fact, that was the exact way she had felt the first time they'd had sex and that bubbly feeling was what led her to professing her love for him afterwards. Smiling with genuine happiness, Sam clued her friend in to what that mysterious feeling was, "That, my dear friend, kind of sounds like love, to me. I'm sorry to say, but I’m pretty sure you've finally been bitten by the love bug, Cass. And, it's written all over your face! You have yet to quit smiling."

"Love? No, I mean...really? Are you sure?" Cassie had a look of bewilderment shimmering in her eyes, but the smile was still in place, lurking at the slightly upturned corners of her mouth. "Am I in love?"

"Sounds like it to me...I felt that way the first time with Daryl. And, that dreamy expression on your face looks familiar." Sam had a fleeting moment of envy, wishing she could go back and experience falling in love for the first time again, but brushed it aside. She had Daryl to fall in love with again, and that was what she had wanted for years now, they just hadn’t had the chance to do so properly without life and a butt load of drama involved. "Just know, if it ever builds up to the point that you actually do cry during sex, it's not always a bad thing. Sometimes you just get so overwhelmed it happens."

"Do you still feel that way with Daryl?" Cassie grinned mischievously and prodded further. "Is it still as good with him? Or did he get better with age? Like a fine wine?"

"I don't know...I mean, better or worse? I can't really judge past and present that way. It's different, how's that?" Just thinking about sex with Daryl had her tingling all over. The one thing that hadn't changed was the way her body responded to his, and his body alone.

"Oh come on, you can do better than that.” Cassie chastised as they rounded the corner towards home. “I told you about Rick, it’s your turn to spill the beans. It’s what best friends do, I’m sure I’ve given you this lecture before.”

“You’re not going to let this drop until I tell you, are you?” When met with the look Cassie gave her that plainly stated that she wouldn’t, in fact, drop the subject until she had been given all the sordid details, Sam sighed in false frustration and dramatically stated, “He’s the best I’ve ever had. Like a beast…a sexual beast. Is that good enough?”

“Please, like I didn’t already know that Daryl was the best you’d ever had. Pfft, Ryan’s a good looking guy, but he doesn’t give off that-as you put it-sexual beast persona. And, Judah? Guy practically screams that he only cares about himself in bed. Daryl though? Yeah, he’s got that look about him, so I already knew that alleged juicy tidbit.” Cassie smacked Sam on the shoulder and continued, “Come on! Better or worse than before?”

“Better! Okay? Satisfied.” Sam’s cheeks turned a violent hue of red and the laughter that spilled out afterwards was something she had needed for a while. “So much better. Not that it was bad before, not in the slightest…it’s just now there’s more to it. I really don’t know how to put it in to words to fully describe it, Cass…it’s just better. A whole new level of greatness.” But, deep down, she knew what made the sex with Daryl better now…they’d experienced life without one another and there was this sense of urgency between them now, that overwhelming desire to make up for the twelve years they had spent without the other.

As the duo split and went in to their separate apartments, Daryl stepped out in to the hallway after changing out of the clothes he’d had on since the morning before and headed towards the living room. Once he entered the main area of the house and realized that Jacey was no longer on the couch where he’d left her, Daryl returned to the hallway and headed towards her bedroom. He poked his head inside and spied her sitting on the floor with her back facing him. Knocking lightly on the door frame, he asked, “Can I come in?”

“Yeah.” Jacey’s reply was nearly inaudible as she closed the book in her lap and laid it on the floor by her bent legs.

“You alright?” Daryl asked after he claimed a patch of floor next to her, leaning his back against the twin bed that had thankfully already been in the room when he’d been assigned back to his former house. “You, uh....is it ‘cause of your grandma?”

After only receiving a barely perceptible nod in response, Daryl decided to let the topic drop for the time being…or at least until Sam was there to help out. Trying to navigate the emotions of a woman had never been his strong suit, much less a child. In hopes of finding something to talk about and maybe perk his sister up, Daryl reached out and grabbed the book she’d laid down.

“You like reading or is this for school?” He asked curiously, peering at the yellow cover of the mystery book about some chick named _Nancy Drew._

“I like reading. It’s fun.” Jacey’s reply finally had a bit of spark in it, so Daryl prompted her to tell him what it was about. “It’s about this girl who’s a detective, but she’s only in high school. She solves all sorts of strange cases. It’s really cool. It was Sam’s when she was little.”

As Jacey went on to tell him all about the particular book in his hands, Daryl flipped open the cover and found that she had scrawled her name inside of it just below Sam’s, which looked like it had been there for years, along with a newer inscription _‘If found, return to Jacey or Sam Dixon’._ Confused, Daryl interrupted Jacey and asked, “Why’d you put Sam’s last name as Dixon in here?”

“Because it’s her name, duh.” Jacey rolled her eyes and snatched the book out of Daryl’s hands, flipping to the page she was last reading so that she could fill him in on what was coming next, but was interrupted again.

“That was her name, kid…ain’t no more. That got changed back when we split.” Daryl explained carefully, feeling sorry for his sister who obviously wanted another Dixon in her life at the time she made the notation, that she listed Sam as such.

“No. Sam’s last name is Dixon, same as mine.” Jacey didn’t bother to glance up at her brother as she scanned the page she had last read, looking for a specific part in the story.

At that piece of information, Daryl simply sat in shocked silence while his sister proceeded to read an entire chapter of the book to him. He felt bad for barely registering what Jacey was reading to him, but what she had just told him had rendered him speechless and he couldn’t wait to bring it up with Sam when he had a chance to get her alone.


	131. Chapter 131

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for the reviews last week! I still can't believe that this story is going to be over so soon. :( But, at least we have new TWD episodes starting tomorrow. Squee! Although, I fear that someone near and dear to us will be dying soon. Sigh.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Sunday, April 29th, 2012**  
_

Finally, the day was coming to an end and Sam was able to get some alone time with Jacey once they returned to Daryl’s house later in the night. While her daughter’s mood had improved significantly over the course of the day, the uncharacteristically quiet demeanor from that morning was still cause for concern.

“Hey, sweetie, you all set for bed?” Sam pushed the door closed after stepping inside Jacey’s room, shutting it nearly all the way, but leaving enough open so that Daryl knew he was welcome to come in if he wanted to do so, since he’d pulled Sam aside before lunch with his own concerns about his little sister’s mood.

“Yes, ma’am.” Jacey scooted over on the bed, pressing herself against the wall so that Sam could sit down with her. She held up the book in her hand, the same one she’d read an excerpt to Daryl earlier, and asked, “You can read to me tonight, instead of singing…if you want.”

“Whichever you want, baby girl.” Sam laid down on the bed next to Jacey and opened her arms up so that her daughter could snuggle up close for the bedtime story. “You mind if I talk to you for a little bit first?”

“I guess not.” Jacey mumbled in response, the tone of her voice clearly showed just how unexcited she was by the prospect.

“I just wanted to make sure you’re doing okay. You seemed a little quiet this morning and I was worried about you. Is it because you’re missing your Grandma Donna?” Sam slid her hand over Jacey’s curls and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Because it’s okay to be upset that she’s not here anymore. I just wanted to make sure that there wasn’t something else wrong.”

“I miss her.” Jacey finally whispered in response, but something instinctively told Sam that there was more to the story, so she held her tongue for a moment before saying anything in return. After only a handful of tension filled seconds, Jacey angled her head up to look at Sam and continued, “I heard Big Jim talking to Bo this morning, about you and Daryl…and I…I didn’t like it.”

“Okay, well…what did you hear that upset you?” Sam finally said after carefully considering her words. There was no telling what her father and oldest brother were talking about in regards to Daryl and she was cringing inside at the thought.

“That he hurt you back before he left…and that if he did it again that it would be worse for you next time.” Jacey blinked up at Sam with wide eyes full of worry and fear that something might actually happen to her mother…and the brother finally in her life. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“Oh, Jace, no…of course not. Daryl would never hurt me, not like what you’re thinking. He would never put his hands on me, ever. I swear it.” Sam tightened her hold on her daughter and kissed her forehead once more. Releasing her hold on Jacey, she rolled over on her side so that the two of them could talk face to face and have the discussion she’d hoped to either never have with her daughter, or at least be able to wait until Jacey was much older. “You remember how I told you I had that wreck, the one that made me lose baby Emily?”

“Yes, ma’am…you said that it hurt your heart too much to be the same anymore.” Jacey hugged the stuffed dog in her tiny arms and pulled it tightly against her chest.

“That’s right. Losing Emily was like losing a piece of my heart that could never be replaced. I wasn’t myself after that, I was really really sad and I blamed myself for that wreck, even though it wasn’t my fault. And I was so sad that I didn’t treat Daryl very well, I didn’t talk to him or hug him or kiss him anymore...and eventually, he had to go away because we couldn’t live like that anymore. Does that make sense so far?” Sam paused long enough for Jacey to respond, a simple nod of the head. “And when I lost Daryl, too…it was too much. My sadness got worse and worse, until I just laid in bed and didn’t do anything at all. Your Grandma Donna was so worried about me that I almost had to go to the hospital to make me feel better. It was a long time before I got better again. That’s what you’re Grandpa was talking about with Uncle Bo, baby…not that Daryl would actually physically hurt me.”

“But, you’re better now? You’re not sad anymore?” Jacey asked with worry etched on her elfin face, bright blue eyes eerily reminiscent of her brother’s blinked up at Sam.

“I’m always going to be a little sad, baby girl…losing Emily will always hurt my heart. Missing all those years with Daryl makes me sad, too. But, you know what saved me? What finally made me happy again?” Sam gave Jacey a watery smile and reached out to poke her on the end of the nose. “You. Having you in my life is the best thing that could have ever happened to me to finally make me happy again. You are the light of my life, sweetheart.”

“I am? Not Daryl?” The way Jacey said her brother’s name, drawing it out in a high pitched tone, had them both giggling.

“Nope, not even Daryl…you’re the only light in my life.” Sam smiled and inched forward to place a kiss on Jacey’s forehead, not missing disbelief in her daughter’s eyes. “Okay, fine…how about he’s the love of my life and you’re the light of it? That work for you?”

“Yup.” Jacey beamed at Sam’s response, what worry that had previously lingered in her mind from the overheard conversation that morning thoroughly erased. Scooting across the bed towards Sam, Jacey snuggled up next to her mother and slung one arm across Sam’s stomach. “I’m glad I made you happy, I don’t like it when you’re sad. And…I’m happy you have Daryl now, too.”

“Me, too, baby girl. Me, too.” Sam rolled over on to her back and helped Jacey adjust her position until she was comfortable. Snuggled against one another, Sam reached behind Jacey and grabbed the book she’d held up earlier. “You sure you want me to read to you instead of sing?” Jacey mumbled in response and pulled her stuffed dog up between their bodies while Sam flipped to the marked chapter and began reading a story she had read countless times when she was a child.

A little while later, Sam woke up from the slumber she hadn’t realized she had slipped in to while reading. After rubbing the back of her hand over her eyes, she realized that the sound she’d heard was Daryl leaning over to blow out the candles on the table next to Jacey’s bed. “Hey, how long have I been out? I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” She asked softly, her voice husky from sleeping.

“Didn’t mean to wake you. Go back to sleep.” Daryl whispered as he leaned over and brushed a kiss on to her lips. Candles momentarily forgotten, he moved to grab hold of the blanket that was folded over the foot of the bed to cover her up, but Sam slid out of the bed before he could unfold it.

“No, I’m up…plus, I’d rather sleep with you.” Sam smiled sleepily up at Daryl as she took the blanket from his hands, laid it over her daughter’s petite sleeping form and tucked in the sides of it around her. Leaning down, she pressed a goodnight kiss to Jacey’s head and stealthily removed the book from the bed beside her. She laid the book on the nightstand and blew out the candles that Daryl had come in to snuff out, and turned to him in the darkened room that now only held a faint glow from the sliver of moonlight sneaking around the curtains.

Holding on to Daryl’s hand tightly, Sam navigated her way through the bedroom and down the hallway towards his bedroom. Once inside, she sat down on the edge of his bed and pulled him closer to her; sandwiching his legs between hers as he stood in front of her. Looking up at him with eyes that were still tinged with sleepiness, she smiled and told him, “Don’t tell Jace, but she snores and hogs the blankets. I’d rather sleep in here with you.”

“Rather have you in here anyhow.” Daryl wrapped his arms around Sam after she leaned forward and laid her cheek against his chest. “Still wish I hadn’t woke you up though…you ain’t got much rest this weekend.” He felt Sam’s body tense in his arms and wished he hadn’t even mentioned the drug laced tea and lack of quality sleep debacle when she started to pull away from him. “Hey, slow down…why you pulling away?”

“Because I’m going to get ready for bed.” Sam tried to move away from Daryl completely, but his strong hands held on to her tight enough so that she couldn’t do much more than squirm. She slid her hands between them and placed her palms on his chest, but couldn’t bring herself to do anything other than rest them there instead of trying to push away. She sighed and kept her eyes focused on the cracked beige button on the center of his chest. “I don’t want to talk about what happened. It won’t change anything and I just want to go to sleep.”

“Aight. Fine.” Daryl responded, knowing full well that if Sam didn’t want to talk about something there was little he could do to change her mind. Best course of action was to let her get the sleep she wanted and try again later.

Mistaking his short reply for aggravation, Sam tilted her head back and stared up at him and felt a twinge of guilt for brushing away his concern. “If something comes out of it, then we’ll deal with that later, okay? There’s nothing we can do about it now and nothing good can come out of worrying about it, right? It’s a wait and see situation.”

“You’re right.” He finally replied, clearly surprising Sam with the response judging by the flicker of disbelief in her eyes. He removed his hands from hers and reached for the edge of Sam’s shirt and started tugging it up her torso. “Might as well go to bed.”

“Hey, I’m going to need something to sleep in!” Sam exclaimed, giggling as he pushed her back on to the bed and started unbuttoning her jeans.

“No you don’t.” Daryl’s dismissal of her concern was punctuated by the forceful snatch of her pants from her legs. He tossed them over his shoulder and they slapped against the sliding doors of the closet behind him, rattling them slightly. Her periwinkle blue underwear followed suite only seconds later.

“But, Jacey is just down the hall.” Sam cried as she tried to scurry away from him on the bed, failing miserably when his strong hands clamped down around her thighs and snatched her back towards him. “What if she comes in here?”

“She ain’t coming in if we lock the door. Same way we’ve been doing for weeks.” Daryl slid his hands up her thighs and skimmed them up Sam’s sides to sneak around her back to work on the clasp of her dainty pink bra.

“Fair’s fair then.” Sam breathed out, the feel of his callused palms skimming the straps of her bra down her arms suddenly taking the fight out of her cause. Reaching for him, her fingers starting working on the buttons of his shirt, pausing only long enough to let Daryl pull her bra off completely.

Daryl let Sam pull the clothes from his body, but stopped her when she closed her hand around his hardened shaft and shook his head at her. “Nope. Not tonight…time for sleep.” He shook his head and pushed Sam back onto the disheveled bed, which had yet to be made up since he had moved into the house, and crawled in behind her and pulled the blankets up around them after they were both settled.

“Are you sure?” Sam whispered in the dark, wiggling her butt against the ramrod straight cock nestled between their bodies. “I’m suddenly not very sleepy.”

“Go to sleep, woman.” Daryl ground out between clenched teeth. He had seen just how exhausted Sam was periodically throughout the day whenever she would stifle a yawn and rub at her sleepy eyes, hence why he had yet to bring up the fact that she hadn’t bothered to change her name despite thinking they were actually divorced. She truly did need a night of honest to goodness actual sleep, but if she kept wiggling that delicious ass of hers against his dick he wasn’t going to be able to hold out much longer. He tightened his grip on her hip, holding her in place and growled next to her ear, “Sleep now, Sam. Sex when you wake up.”

“I’m holding you to that promise.” Sam said after a dramatic sigh of frustration. In spite of her protest that she wasn’t sleepy any more, her eyelids drooped and a yawn escaped despite her attempts to stifle it. Sam grabbed hold of Daryl’s hand on her hip and brought it up to her chin so that she was wrapped safely in his embrace, falling asleep in only a matter of moments.


	132. Chapter 132

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy TWD day!

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

__  
**Monday, April 30th, 2012**  


Early the next morning, long before the sun had even thought about rising, Sam woke with the delicious feel of Daryl sliding inside of her body; stretching and filling her inch by inch until she was fully awake and arching back against him. She writhed against him and moaned deep in the back of her throat when he was fully seated inside of her.

“Morning,” Daryl mumbled as he nuzzled the nape of her neck, his voice as rough from sleep as the feel of the bristles of his facial hair against her skin. “'Bout damn time you woke up.”

“Needed the proper incentive.” Sam reached up and behind her to cup the back of his head, burying her fingers in the thick soft locks. She arched against him once again, desperate for more and searching for the angle that was going to push him deeper inside of her body. When her search failed to produce the feelings she was aching for, Sam begged for it, “More.”

Daryl slid from her body after her breathy command and Sam whimpered at the sudden loss of contact. He flipped her over and settled between her thighs, their gazes connected and his hardened shaft nudged at her wet entrance. She wriggled and writhed beneath him, but no amount of movement pushed him inside of her once more and the look on Daryl's face was nothing short of irritating.

“You want something?” Daryl asked her softly, the glint in his eye as teasing as the tone in his voice as he rocked his hips against her just enough to slip the tip of his shaft inside of her.

Sam bent her knees and buried her heels into the mattress so she could thrust her hips against him forcefully, in hopes that by doing so Daryl would slide inside of her the rest of the way. She clenched her hands and bit her nails in to the backs of his arms and pleaded with Daryl to give her what she wanted. “Please?” She begged, “I need...” Sam's breathy request faded off her lips as she moved her hips beneath him in hopes of finding what she was searching for

“What? What do you need, Sam? Tell me.” Daryl growled as he pulled the tip of his cock out of her, eliciting a groan of dissatisfaction from Sam, and slid the length of it over her clit teasingly. “Tell me.”

“You. I need you.” Sam begged shamelessly and pleaded with him with her eyes to stop teasing and give her what she wanted. When he finally relented and gave her what she needed, Sam thought she might just pass out from the sheer pleasure of Daryl entering her in one long, swift thrust; burying himself balls deep inside of her heated channel. She moaned and tilted her head back, baring her throat to Daryl, who dipped his head low to take advantage of the slender column; licking and biting the tender slope.

She arched against him and thrust her hips to meet his, desperate for the ever present ache for Daryl to be satiated, but knew from previous experience that the craving she held for him could never fully be satisfied. Her body would always beg for his body, for the feel of his flesh pressed against hers, the thick feeling of him filling her completely and the rough texture of his palms skimming over her soft skin. She was crazy to think that anyone else could have ever replaced him.

Daryl's hand dug in to the flesh at her hips as he thrust in to her with wild abandon, his fingertips bit in to her skin and Sam knew the ferocity in his grasp would have hurt had her mind not been preoccupied with other feelings. Sam loved it when he was like that, when he let go of his control, releasing the beast of his desire for her that he kept so tightly restrained when it wasn't just the two of them. Even in the pitch black darkness in the room, Sam knew without seeing his eyes that they were darkened with desire and wild with hunger.

Their movements quickened. Moving against one another with wanton need, seeking their release and momentarily satiate the desire that threatened to consume them both with each passing moment. Sam tightened her hold on Daryl's hips, cradling him with her thighs and digging the heels of her feet into the tight muscles of his ass, as his thrusts grew more frantic.

The slow build in the pit of her stomach burned bright now. Sam buried her head in the crook of Daryl's neck, flooding her senses with the utterly male scent of him and tensed in his arms as her release crashed in to her like a tidal wave. Tremors of desire radiated throughout her body, seared her from the inside out and brought forth a strangled scream of pleasure that she quickly muffled by biting down on Daryl's shoulder to keep from waking the small child just down the hallway.

Daryl followed behind her, his climax a muffled grunt against the curve of her neck. His breath was hot and moist against her skin as he panted, trying to catch the breath that eluded him. He was limp in her arms, still except for the sporadic aftershocks of pleasure that caused his muscles to spasm every few seconds until his body finally calmed down. Strands of his hair, damp with sweat, clung to her face and lightly tickled her skin, but she made no attempt to brush it aside, because doing so might make Daryl think she was ready for him to move and she wasn't ready to not feel the heavy weight of his naked body against hers just yet.

They stayed like that for a while, until his softened member threatened to slip out and cause quite the mess. Without the weight of him on top of her, Sam felt cold, bereft, even though he was only away from the bed for a short moment. She had let her need for him, her desire for his constant presence that had nearly consumed her before, creep back in and take over. Sam just hoped that she wouldn't have to relearn how to live without Daryl again.

When Daryl returned to the bed after he cleaned up and disposed of the condom he'd had the forethought to put on beforehand, Sam sighed contentedly once she was back in his arms. Morning had yet to wake up fully, the sun slow to face the day, and the room was faintly lit the soft golden glow that was just starting to peek around the curtains. They had plenty of time to spend in bed and relish the feel of their skin pressed against one another. Blissfully satisfied, well rested and thoroughly debauched, Sam rested her head on Daryl's chest and idly traced the tip of one finger over his chest. She could definitely get accustomed to being woken up that way every day

“So, um...I found out something interesting yesterday.” Daryl said suddenly, his gravelly voice cutting through the silence, rumbling in his chest beneath Sam's ear and she angled her head back so that she could look at him when he talked. “Heard you didn't never change your name. That you was still a Dixon.”

Sam froze in Daryl's arms. She had known this moment would come eventually, but had yet to figure out how to deal with it when it did. She licked her dry lips and finally said, “You heard correctly. I, uh...just never got around to it.”

“Usually one of the first things women do when they get divorced, ain't it?” Daryl asked as he pushed aside a lock of honey colored hair that had fallen in to her face. “You thought you was divorced, right? Don't make no sense why you kept my name.”

“I was going to. I really was. Filled out the papers, but never got around to turning them in.” Sam admitted softly. Embarrassed, although she probably didn't need to be, she laid her head back down on to Daryl's chest so she didn't have to look at him while she explained. “By the time I was finally ready to move on, I ended up with Jacey. Figured I might as well keep it…for her.”

“Could've just as easily changed her name to Collins.” Daryl pointed out and she wanted to curse at him for being so logical. Why did he want her to spill all of her secrets, when he wasn't willing to do the same for her?

“Changing back to Collins would have been like losing you all over again, okay? It was the last tie I had to you.” Sam grudgingly admitted with a sigh of frustration. “I used Collins professionally since everyone assumed I'd changed it back. I mean, I did spend an abnormal amount of time at the court house saying I was doing it anyway, no sense explaining to everyone. Anytime Jace referred to me as a Dixon, my family just assumed she was too young to understand the situation with our family, I guess. I didn't bother to correct anyone.” She forced herself to lift her head and look him in the eyes when she asked, “Why? Does it bother you?”

“Hell, no, I don't got a problem with you being a Dixon.” Daryl smiled down at her, that crooked smile that set her heart aflutter every time she saw it. Taking a chance, being bolder than he was used to being, he took a deep breath and asked, “Move in with me. Be a family, the three of us. That's what you want, ain't it?”

“Yes.” Sam said softly without a moment's hesitation. The only thing she had wanted since she was eighteen years old was Daryl Dixon, twelve years apart hadn't dampened that desire. But, there was one request that had to be made, because she couldn't keep putting her heart through the ringer just to be around Daryl. “Not here though. I can't, Daryl. It's...it's like a tiny piece of my heart dies every time I'm in that room.”

He didn't have to ask what room she was talking about. He had seen the pained expression on her face every time her foot crossed the threshold to the pale yellow bedroom, the one he was surprised hadn't been repainted since she had done the honors in preparation for Emily's arrival. “Don't give two shits where we live, Sam. So long as we're together. Your apartment is small, but we can make it work.” And, he thought, the first order of business would be booting his sister out of the bedroom and up to the loft. Not only did they need the privacy of a lockable door, but he was too damn old to climb a ladder every time he wanted to go to bed.

“The apartment is too small. Heck, Jace and I crawl over one another most of the time.” Sam grimaced at the thought of the three of them trying to live in such cramped quarters. “I do have a house, you know? More than enough room for all of us...and then some.”

“Yeah, I didn't get much of a look, but seemed big enough.” And, he liked the thought of her 'and then some' comment. While he hadn't given a second thought about having children after he'd left Collins, and Sam, behind years ago, he had definitely been reconsidering his stance on it since returning. The image of Sam pregnant, heavy with his child, caused his heart to skip a beat with happiness. His mind wandered to the memory of her pregnant with Emily, the gentle swell of her belly, the fullness of her breasts, the luminous glow to her skin and just that quick thought had his cock swelling with desire; eager to get that show on the road. Curious, he asked, “How many rooms that thing got anyhow?”

“Five. More than enough space for us.” Sam smiled and readjusted herself so that she could lay her head on his shoulder instead of his chest. “I love that house. Used to ride past it on my bike when I was little and stare at it. I'm sure the owners thought I was weird. The second it was up for sale I snatched it. Paid way too much for it, but dang it...I wanted it.”

“Do I even want to know what you paid for it?” Daryl asked cautiously. He knew she was set to inherit a trust fund, but had no clue how much was in it.

“Probably not. I had the money, so it wasn't like I bankrupted myself buying it. I had that trust fund, remember? Daddy signed off on letting me have it two years earlier than planned so I could buy the house. There were still stipulations, like I could only have enough for the house and living expenses, but not things like shoes and clothes. That, I still had to work for, at least until I was twenty-five.” Sam chewed on her bottom lip as she studied the expression on Daryl's face. She could tell he wanted to ask something, but what, she didn't know. Finally, after several moments of silence, she asked, “What?”

“Probably gonna hate myself for asking, but how much was that thing? The trust fund?” Daryl finally asked, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. “And who set it up?”

“My grandfather, Grandma Em's husband. He died when I was still a baby and set up trust funds for each of his grandkids. Mine was bigger than my brothers, simply because it took longer for me to get it and Daddy did some investing for me while it waited for me.” Sam licked her lips and considered even answering the first part of his question. He had refused to have her go to her father and ask to access the funds early back when they were struggling financially, did he really want to know how much money he walked away from? Biting the bullet, because finances meant shit now so it wasn't like she was still a millionaire, Sam answered, “A little under three million.”

“Shit.” Daryl's eyes bugged and he choked on the one word response. Sam watched as he let the information sink in and hated seeing the realization set in on what that money would have meant for them back when they were struggling financially.

“It doesn't mean anything now though. None of us are rich or poor now, there's no class separation now. We're all struggling.” Sam said softly with a shrug of her shoulder. “Just a bunch of useless pieces of paper sitting in a bank somewhere.”

“You're right.” Daryl turned his head to look at her and Sam felt that special tingle associated with only him start to spread between her thighs. She hated that they had to get up and be productive citizens, she'd much rather spend the whole day holed up in the bedroom with him. Lost in thought, specifically about what she would like to be doing to his body, Sam missed what Daryl said and asked him to repeat himself. “You good with moving in this week?”

“Absolutely. Jacey's things will take a while, but I don't have much to move besides clothes and pictures. I left everything else there.” Sam smiled and lightly scratched her nails down his chest. “Speaking of Jacey, she's not awake yet.”

“No, and the way that kid sleeps she ain't likely to be up for a while.” Daryl grinned devilishly as he rolled over on top of her. His hand slid down her belly and eased between her legs, his fingers slipping along her already moistened folds. As he slid one finger into her, eliciting a moan of desire from her lips, he cocked an eyebrow at her and said, “Figure I can find a way to kill some time though.”

Of that, Sam had no doubt.


	133. Chapter 133

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Monday, April 30th, 2012**  
_

Eventually, they had to get out of bed and face the day. Jacey had yet to wake up, or at least she had yet to let them know that she was awake, but Sam didn't want to risk her daughter waking up and somehow stumbling across her parental figures sans clothing and involved in activities that were very much restricted to adult eyes only. Getting dressed, however, was proving to be difficult, since every time she attempted to put on an article of clothing, her plans were thwarted by Daryl.

“Give me my pants.” Sam glared at Daryl with her hands on her hips, clothed only in a pair of hip hugging periwinkle panties. When he sat there with a look of defiance plastered across his face, Sam sighed and gave up on the pants for the moment. She still had to locate her bra and shirt, after all. Dropping to the floor to search the area around the bed, she said over her shoulder, “Fine. I'll come back to the pants after I find the rest of my clothes.”

“Or, you could just stay naked, crawl in bed and stay there all day. With me.” Daryl tilted his head to appreciate the view before him, Sam's delicious derriere poking up at him teasingly while she crawled around on the floor in search of the remaining articles of clothing.

“I'd like nothing more, but I have to get Jacey to school and you, sir, haven't been hunting in days. And, I have band practice. We've got the Memorial Day celebration coming up next month and I want to add in some new songs.” Sam's voice was slightly muffled since her head was beneath the dust ruffle while she tried to reach the bra that had somehow ended up halfway under the bed.

Daryl grunted in response, hating that she was right and they had other things that needed to be done that day. He watched as she tried to retrieve the garment she'd been searching for and felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of the triumphant smile on her face when she finally grabbed hold of the lacy bra that had somehow ended up beneath the bed. Sure, her heart shaped ass bent over to taunt him was sexy as hell, right up there with the swell of her womanly hips and her perfect, rosy tipped breasts, but it was Sam's smile that drew him to her.

It was the way her face lit up when she smiled, and the way one corner of her mouth lifted a bit higher than the other, the crinkle at the corner of her eyes and the twinkle of happiness that shone in them. It was that smile that had captured his heart so many years ago. It was the loss of that smile that had broken his heart. It was her smile that reminded Daryl just how much he loved her. It was that smile that he had found so eerily reminiscent of her in Beth. That brightness, the hope that was promised in it, that simple gesture that somehow made everything shinier, if not but just for a moment.

“She reminded me of you. Beth.” Daryl said quietly, murmuring his confession to Sam behind a thatch of dark bangs. “When she smiled, it was like I was looking at you again.”  
Sam’s breath hitched in her chest at his words, she wanted to say something in response, but was afraid that doing so might spook Daryl and cause him to clam back up. Instead, she stood up slowly, laid the bra and shirt that were clutched in her hands on the bed, and eased over in front of him to stand between his open thighs.

“Used to yell at her to stop singing.” Daryl admitted, dropping the blue jeans in his hands to the floor so that he could place one hand on either side of Sam's hips and for the first time, noticed the bruises that covered them. “I hurt you.”

“No you didn't. Sex bruises don't count as hurts.” Sam rested her hands on top of his and stilled the movement of his fingers as they lightly traced over the plum colored marks he had left during sex that weekend; back when he'd tried to restrain her, stop her from having sex over at her parent's house. Moving past the marks on her hips, she prodded him to keep talking about Beth. “Why'd you yell at her? Beth had a beautiful voice from what I remember.”

“Sounded too much like you. Sang your songs a lot, stuff you'd written for me. Didn't want to hear it, not if it wasn't you.” Daryl tore his gaze away from the bruises on her hips and tilted his head back to look up at Sam. “I'd yell at her to stop. Yelled at her 'bout a lot of things. At first, she'd just take it, but eventually, she yelled back. Kid had a helluva backbone, stronger than what we...I gave her credit for.” He paused, chewed on his bottom lip for a moment, and continued when Sam stayed silent. “She knew I was married. Told her one night about how I screwed things up, didn't tell her who I was married to though. Would've made her realize why I yelled at her so much, so I probably should've. She didn't judge me though, even after I told her I left you...when you needed me, that I walked away. Beth…she just sat there with this look in them big ol’ eyes of hers, not judging me in the slightest, and said it was a shame you couldn’t see me now. That I wasn’t the same man that walked out on you, that I was different. Said it was a shame I’d never get a chance to show you that.”

“Sounds like little Beth Greene was wiser than most kids her age.” Sam finally said when his silence lapsed into more than just a conversational pause. She had hoped he would say more, delve further in to the past that she wanted to know about, but was happy that Daryl had at least shared a little tidbit with her. Raising her hands, she cupped either side of his face and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “You’re not different to me. All I see is the man I have loved since the first day I saw him. Sure, you’ve got a few gray hairs here and there and a wrinkle or two, but when I look in to your eyes…all I see is you. I see a man that loved me back, despite everything we went through. I see the man that I regret having ever let walk out of my life. I don’t see what the people you came here with see, Daryl. Because the man you became after me is someone I’ll never know, and while I hate that you don’t want to share that man with me, for whatever reason, I just want you to know that I will want you no matter what. Should you ever tell me, I’ll still want you, Daryl, because I have never wanted anyone the way I want you.”

“I…I…shit.” Daryl sighed and broke eye contact with Sam, the emerald orbs full of love and understanding were entirely too overwhelming. He wanted to tell her everything, wanted nothing more than to break down all the walls between them and start fresh, but how could she ever love him if she knew exactly what he had become, who he had let himself become? He leaned forward to lay his head against Sam’s chest, wrapping his arms around her waist while mustering up the courage to spill each and every dark secret that plagued his heart. Squeezing his eyes shut tightly, Daryl forced back the sting of tears that threatened to spill over, trying to keep everything inside of him at bay, all of his shame, all of the heartache, all of the hatred he held for himself. “Reason I don’t want to tell you is because I was just like him, Sam. I let myself be just like him, and I hate myself for it.” Daryl finally whispered against the skin of her chest. “Just like Merle. Just like my fucking father. I was no better than either of them.”

Sam’s hand were fisted in Daryl’s hair, her arms holding him tightly against her body as he whispered his confession to her. She felt the moisture from his tears on her skin and felt her heart weep for the man in her arms. Dipping her head, Sam pressed her lips against the top of Daryl’s head and said, “I told you a long time ago that you were a better man than your brother, Daryl. And, there’s no damn way that you could ever be anything like your father. Ever. Do you know how I know that? Because they would never, ever, be remorseful for the way they acted…and you are.” Sam lifted her head and slid her hands around to cup each side of his face, tilting his head upwards so that she could stare into his tear-filled eyes. “You’re a better man than you give yourself credit for.”

Daryl swallowed and took a deep, shaky breath in hopes that it would calm his frazzled nerves. It was then he realized that all this time Sam hadn’t wanted to know every little thing that he had done during the twelve years they had been apart. She had simply wanted to know what he had been so ashamed of telling her, the secret that she knew he was hiding from her. It wasn’t that he’d committed crimes or treated people like shit. It was the fact that he’d let himself become the one thing he’d hated the most, that he had lived up to the Dixon name. He pressed a kiss to her belly, before lifting his head to stare up at Sam. “I didn’t want to tell you. I didn’t want you to know.”

Sam let her hands slip forward from where they were tangled in his hair, and rested her palms on either side of his face. Using the pads of her thumbs, she gently wiped away the tears beneath his eyes and simply stared at him in silence. Crinkles forked at the corners of his eyes and confusion filled the blue orbs as she stared at him without saying a word. The years they had spent apart were etched on his beautiful face, a constant reminder of how much time she had lost with him and it pained her to know that they could never change the mistakes that had torn them apart. Overwhelmed by the emotions running rampant inside of her, Sam’s voice cracked and tears stung in her eyes when she finally spoke. “My God, I love you.”

It was the first time she had said those words to him since before the wreck.


	134. Chapter 134

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for all the reviews this week! I can't believe this story is almost over. Sigh.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

__  
**Monday, April 30th, 2012**   


After they managed to extricate themselves from the bedroom and eat breakfast with Jacey, Daryl watched Sam and Jacey from the front steps of the municipal building as they headed towards school, hand in hand. He had been tempted to walk with them and, once they dropped off his sister, coerce Sam to skip out on band practice and spend the day in bed with him, but responsibility had him backing out at the last moment. He typically brought in as many kills as any three of the other hunters that trudged out in to the wilderness during the week and he had been slacking in that department since getting back together with Sam. It was past time for him to get back to work and earn his keep; no sense in ruining the one thing he had going for him in the eyes of the town council.

But, first, he needed to break the news that he was moving across town to those few in his group who he deemed important enough to call family. Once Sam and Jacey were out the rounded the corner of the building down the street and on their way to the school grounds, Daryl returned to the auditorium and walked over to the table where Rick, Carol and Michonne were finishing up their breakfast; Glenn and Maggie were already gone and would have to hear the news from someone else, as he doubted it would take long to travel. Cassie was walking back and forth along the opposite wall of the auditorium, trying to quieten a fussy Judith, and the sight brought a smile to Daryl’s face.

Sliding back into the chair he had only recently vacated, Daryl opened his mouth and closed it again when met with their curious stares. He lifted a hand to his mouth and gnawed on the edge of one nail before finally saying, “I, uh...I'm moving. With Sam and Jacey, over to their old house. Across town.”

“You're leaving us?” Carol spoke first, pinning Daryl with a dark stare that confused him. Was she angry or sad? There was once a time he thought he could have figured out the answer to that question, but today was not that day. Of course, the statement she added next cleared that up for him. “For them?”

“It's not and us or them situation, Carol. They're his family.” Rick stepped in before Daryl could. Rick put down the fork in his hand, laying it on the nearly empty plate, and added, “And, he's not leaving. He'll still be here.”

“We're his family, Rick.” Carol's lips were pursed into a tight line, as though she was doing her best to keep any other words in her mouth. “Too. We're his family, too. Jacey, I understand, but she's been staying with you, Daryl. I don't see why Sam can't move in there with you. Why does she have to drag you all the way across town to a barely inhabited neighborhood? It's not safe to be that far away from everyone else.”

“Daryl's more than capable of taking care of himself.” Michonne pointed out, earning a look of appreciation from Daryl, who had yet to jump in and defend his decision. “And, taking care of Sam and Jacey. He's protected all of us on more than one occasion.” She glanced to her right to Daryl, a sparkle in her chocolate brown eyes. Her ebony skin crinkled around those eyes as she offered him a wide smile, one that might have been a little too large as she was trying to cover up the twinge of sadness and jealousy in her heart at how Daryl suddenly had everything she had ever wanted; a family of her own. “He'll be just fine.”

“Hell, ain't like I'm moving to Siberia. Damn. It's only a couple miles across town.” Daryl dipped his head and used the edge of his thumbnail to dig at a scratch in the table. “Sam's place in town's too small. She don't want to be in our old house. Her new one makes sense.”

“Just seems like a big step all of the sudden...especially for an ex-wife you've only started spending time with again.” Carol pushed her plate away, no longer hungry, and darted her eyes over to Rick in search of someone to back her up; her back straightened when she realized her attempt failed. “I just don't see why you have to jump right to the moving in together. Why not take some...”

“Wife.” Daryl butted in, “Sam's my wife, Carol. We never got a divorce. I just left. And, it ain't like we got all the time in the world, right? Don't no one know what's going to happen tomorrow or next week...there ain’t no point in dragging it out.” He wondered what Sam was going to think about him revealing that they were still married, but decided that it couldn't be helped...by doing so he had effectively shut Carol up for the moment. However, the slight feeling of triumphant he felt faded away when she quietly pushed back her chair, gathered up her plate and cup, and disappeared in to the kitchen.

“Don’t worry about Carol.” Rick said to Daryl the moment the kitchen door bounced shut behind Carol. “She’s having a hard time adjusting, she’ll come around…eventually.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Daryl replied with his eyes glued to the kitchen door. He barely registered the congratulations from Michonne as she gathered up her own breakfast plates and headed out to patrol, only offering up a nod in response. Knowing the churning in his stomach and feeling of dread wouldn’t subside until he and Carol had hashed out all of their differences, he pushed back his chair and headed towards the door she had just escaped past.

“Not now, Daryl. I’ve got work to do.” Carol said loudly, her voice an octave higher than normal and her words clipped with the hurt that she was doing a bad job at containing. The kitchen was nearly empty, only herself and one other lady were scheduled to start prepping the vegetables for lunch; a tedious task, but easy one.

“You can take five damn minutes to talk to me. In private.” Skirting around the edge of the counter that Carol was using as a barrier between them, and in a move entirely uncharacteristic of himself when interacting with the woman he’d grown close to since the outbreak, wrapped his hand around her bicep and nudged her towards the open back door. When they were outside, he dropped his hand from her arm and growled, “What in the hell is your problem?”

Carol sized him up, her silence permeated the air around them and caused the tension in Daryl’s jaw to tighten up another notch as he waited for her response. Finally, after opening her mouth to speak and failing twice, she blinked at him and said, “I think you’re making a mistake, Daryl. This isn’t the life for you. You’re a wild thing, not the doting husband. You’re place is in the woods, fighting, killing…not playing house with some woman you walked out on years ago.”

“You ever stop to think I’m who I am because I didn’t have her?” Daryl said quietly, locking his eyes on Carol’s and letting the honesty in his statement flow through their gazes. “I wasn’t like this before her. I was just some grease monkey, floating from town to town with my asshole brother, barely making ends meet. I was nothing…not until her. Then I was nothing again, when I lost her.”

“You’re the way you are, Daryl, because you’re strong, you’re a survivor. You do what has to be done to make it to another day. She makes you weak, love makes you weak. We can’t afford to have you weak, not now…not ever. We wouldn’t have made it this far without you and you know it. Rick’s a leader, he does what he believes needs to be done, but you’re the one that does what has to be done.” Carol’s chest heaved as she vehemently explained herself and stalked across the patio to stand directly in front of Daryl, overwhelming his personal space. “Weak links don’t survive, Daryl. Weak is what gets you killed. Are you willing to die for her? Are you ready for the day your weakness gets her killed? The way it did Beth?”

The pain that hit Daryl stung, hurt him deep in his chest as though Carol had shoved the knife at her hip deep into his heart. She, of all people, knew how much Beth’s death had weighed on his conscience, how deeply it had affected him and now she was throwing that pain, that heartache, back in his face? He shook his head and tried to push aside the searing pain in his heart, and the movement caused his bangs to fall across his forehead and throw shadows over his darkened eyes. Clenching his hands in to fists at his sides, Daryl took a step forward and cleared the small space between them. His nostrils flared with his anger, the look in his eyes was fierce, and his whole body tense. “You don’t know fuck all about shit between me and Sam. She don’t make me weak, she gives me something to live for, and that don’t make you weak. And yeah, I fucked up with Beth, I lost her…and I’ll regret that shit to the day I die. But, her dying? That ain’t on me. That was her fucked up way of trying to control the situation, of trying to protect Noah. That got her killed, not me.” Daryl shook his head in disgust and stepped away from Carol, who was clearly not going to cater to his bullying tactics and back down, she was far too familiar with the way he worked. Stalking across the patio, he put plenty of room between them and turned back to face Carol. “I lost Sam once, I ain’t doing it again. I don’t get why you don’t get it? Wouldn’t you grab at the chance to have someone you lost back? Not that asshole husband of yours, but Sophia? If you had that chance, wouldn’t you take it…no matter what?”

“It’s different, Daryl. My daughter is dead, she’s not coming back to me.” Carol stated, efficiently avoiding the question. She crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head gently side to side with a sad expression on her face. “You know what? Let’s just drop it. You’re never going to understand.”

“Explain it to me then! Hell, all you’ve done is talk in circles about shit that don’t matter, shit that you now ain’t gonna happen. I ain’t gonna let anything happen to no one, not if I can help it. I’m still hunting every morning, so it’s not like you got to worry about not getting enough to eat. What the hell is it? Just say something that makes some damn sense.” Daryl stared at her, waiting for a response that he feared would never come.

“I’m losing you, okay?” Carol admitted softly, the hard lines of anger that were on her face easing away with her revelation. “Since the prison, when we got split up. I’ve been losing you one day at a time. First with Beth, and now with Sam and Jacey. I’m tired of losing people I care about.”

“You ain’t lost me, Carol. I’m still here.” Daryl sighed and felt his shoulders slump, the fight leaking out of him at the sight of the sadness in his friend’s eyes. He crossed the space between them and wrapped his arms around Carol, hugging her with an intensity that rivaled the one he had given her back at Terminus after she’d rescued them. “I ain’t going nowhere. You got that? I’m gonna be right here. Death ain’t got me yet.”

“Don’t joke about that, Daryl.” Carol smiled against his chest, in spite of the sadness that filled her heart. While death had most certainly not managed to catch Daryl Dixon, she was still losing him…to the woman he loved, to his wife and the children they would inevitably have together. To a life that she would never have. Sniffling, she pushed out of his hold and wiped at the tears on her face and cursed herself for letting that emotion slip out.

“Look, how ‘bout I promise not to go nowhere,” Daryl tilted his head at her and cracked that smile that had her returning it immediately, whether she meant to do so or not. “But, I’m gonna need you to lay off Sam. She ain’t done nothing to you, and you know it.”

“Deal.” Carol agreed with a sigh of resignation. “She’s got spunk, that one. I’ll give her that much.” She tightened her lightweight sweater, trying to ward off the cool nip in the air that refused to leave even though summer was right around the corner. Without saying another word, she nodded once in his direction before turning to go back in to the kitchen.

Satisfied with the way things had went, Daryl followed behind her in search of the crossbow he’d left sitting at the table. He had dinner to provide to his very large, extended family.


	135. Chapter 135

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the reviews last week you guys! I can't believe this story will be over next week, only 6 more chapters to go. *sniff sniff*

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

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****  


_**Tuesday, May 15th, 2012** _

The sudden sound of rustling of blankets and the dip of the mattress woke Daryl, instantly alerting him to Sam's departure from the bed. Rolling over, he reached out to find she had already gotten off the mattress. His voice was thick and scratchy with sleep when he called out to her softly in the darkness, “Where you going?”

“Bathroom. I'll be right back.” Her promise was barely above a whisper as she padded across the wooden floor towards the adjacent bathroom. Daryl was back asleep before the bathroom door clicked shut.

Nearly an hour passed before Daryl suddenly jolted awake and sat straight up in the king sized bed and he stared, bleary eyed, around the dimly lit bedroom; only the faint pale gray illumination from the moon offering up any light. Confused as to what woke him up this time, Daryl scanned the room, before his line of sight landed on the empty spot beside him in the bed. Sam hadn't returned to the bed after her bathroom break. Concerned, Daryl pushed off the bed and, naked as the day he was born, walked over to the bathroom to check on her. He eased the door open and peeked inside, and even in the sparsely lit white tiled bathroom he could tell that Sam wasn't in there anymore. Daryl turned and crossed back to his side of the bed and scrounged around on the floor for the clothes he'd thrown down before going to bed. Once he'd pulled on his pants and sleeveless t-shirt, he quietly slipped out of the master bedroom and went in search of Sam.

After a thorough check of the rooms downstairs, as well as Jacey's bedroom, he'd come up empty handed and he was on the verge of panic when he realized that he hadn't thought to check the balcony just off the master bedroom. Feeling a little silly for not checking the one place Sam would likely go, as she often preferred to sit outside when she couldn't sleep, Daryl climbed the stairs to the second level of the house they had been living in for the past two weeks and made his way back in to the bedroom he'd just left.

“Sam? You out here?” Daryl asked quietly as he closed the French doors behind him. The balcony spanned the majority of the rear of the massive house and was covered in shadows in the dead of night thanks to the century old oak trees that flanked the backyard.

“I'm over here.” Her soft reply came out of one of those shadows and Daryl headed in its direction, finding Sam curled up on one of the chaise lounges she'd purchased with glee and pride upon purchasing her first home.

“Can't sleep?” Daryl asked as he lowered himself onto the lounge beside her. Facing Sam, he reached out and placed his hand on her thigh and rubbed his palm on the soft skin comfortingly. She lifted her head to meet his eyes and Daryl saw the reason for her sleeplessness in the streaks of tears that coursed over her cheeks. “What's wrong?”

Daryl saw the hesitation in her eyes, heard the catch of her breath as she struggled to control her emotions, but finally she whispered the reason to him. “I've got cramps.” Her murmured confession brought on another onslaught of tears and further added to his confusion, which must have been scrawled across his face, because Sam added, “I got my period. Nothing happened because of Krista's tea.”

“Oh.” Not the most eloquent response, but Daryl had never been one of many words. He blinked a few times and tried to figure out the appropriate response as he promptly stuck the edge of his thumb in his mouth and started chewing on the already ragged fingernail. Sam had been fairly adamant about her desire to not get pregnant, but the tears on her cheeks and the sadness in her voice were contradicting her words. Pulling the tip of his thumbnail out of his mouth so he could talk, confusion laced Daryl's voice and furrowed his brow as he cautiously asked, “That's...uh, ain't that what you wanted?”

“Yes.” Sam dropped her gaze from his as though she was chagrined about the situation, clearly upset or embarrassed by her response. She sighed heavily and picked at a nonexistent thread on the knee length lavender silk robe she'd put on before stepping outside, because even though there were very few neighbors, she still didn't feel comfortable being naked outside. “How can I be upset about not having something I didn't know I even wanted?”

“You saying you, um...that you want to be pregnant?” Daryl finally asked, finally managing to get the words that were stuck in his throat out. The bubble of joy at Sam's words started to burst forth, but he somehow got his budding excitement under control, not wanting to get too excited until he heard Sam's thoughts on the matter. “You pissed you got your period? I thought you didn't, uh...but you said we had to be careful, that you didn't want to risk getting knocked up?”

“Yes, that's what I'm saying. You don't have to look at me like I've lost my mind, you know?” Sam snapped, although the tilt at the corner of her lips softened the tone of the response. “I'm a girl, we never know what we want.” She swatted at his arm playfully and accepted him when Daryl readjusted his seating to fit in beside her and pull her against his body, wrapping his arms around her slender frame to hold her tight. “When Mom found out about us, that we were back together, she told me to get busy making her some more grand-babies before she died. I told her to quit rushing me...us, that we'd only just gotten back together and that there would be plenty of time for her to get more grandbabies. Little did I know?”

“Just ‘cause she ain't here don't mean we can't work on that for her.” Daryl pressed a kiss to the top of her sleep disheveled head before leaning his cheek against the spot his lips had just left. “If that's something you want.”

“I wasn't sure I even wanted another baby, not after...well, after everything. I've got Jacey, and just because I didn't give birth to her doesn't mean she's not my baby girl. But, after that night in the music room and then knowing there was a possibility that I could've gotten pregnant, I guess maybe I started to really think about it.” Sam wriggled around in his hold to look up at Daryl, her eyes searching his as she asked, “Is that something you'd even want? The world isn't exactly in the best condition to have a baby.”

“Yeah. I do. And, yeah, things are shit, but Rick's done good with Judith. Jacey's doing pretty damn good, too. Maybe it ain't the best conditions or a good time, but hell, if we wait for that it ain't never gonna happen.” Daryl lifted a hand and wiped away a tear that clung to her skin just below the thick fringe of her lower lashes. His heart rejoiced in the sudden brightening of her eyes, the glimmer of happiness that filled Sam's jewel green eyes at his words. “Only thing I ever wanted was a family with you, Sam. Just never went the way we planned.”

“Maybe this time it will.” The curve of Sam's lips, the smile that lit up her face, was the most beautiful thing he'd seen in a long time. There was a small flutter of hope in Daryl's chest, a flicker of thought that maybe there was a chance he would get everything he had ever wanted, but had pushed away to the dark recesses of his mind over the years. Returning her smile, his response wasn't what he'd planned, but that didn't mean he was against the suggestion. “Marry me.”

“We're already married, silly.” Sam laughed softly as she shook her head at Daryl, but the seriousness in his eyes silenced the laughter on her lips.

“Marry me anyhow. It ain't like you ever got that big wedding you always wanted, that one you used to plan with them wedding magazines you had laying around everywhere.” Daryl honestly couldn't believe he was even making the suggestion since the thought of standing up in front of everyone in town was only slightly less mortifying than doing the whole ceremony naked. “Hell, even your father wants to walk you down the aisle this time, make up for missing out last time.”

“That's his own damn fault. Pig headed ass.” Sam bit out instantly at the thought of her father even having the audacity for being upset that he missed out on giving his only daughter the wedding she had wanted. Key word being 'had' wanted. With all sorts of seriousness filling her words and expression, Sam said, “I don't want a wedding, Daryl. Sure, I did back when I was a kid, but now? I don't care about the dress or the ceremony anymore. I just want the marriage, Daryl. All I want is a life with you.”

“You don't gotta worry about that one, you already got me. Ain't going nowhere this time, that's a promise.” Daryl pulled Sam close enough to seal his promise with a kiss, when he pulled back, he tried again, “Marry me, damn it.”

“Oh, that's real romantic!” Sam laughed and poked Daryl in the stomach. “You've got a real way with words, you know? I honestly don't want a wedding, Daryl. I really don't, but I'll think about it. How's that?”

“About as romantic as my proposal, that's how.” Daryl shook his head and pulled Sam down next to him, tucking her beneath his shoulder so she could rest her head on his chest. “Might as well stay up, I reckon...sun's gonna be up soon anyhow.”

“I'm not sleepy anyway.” Sam snuggled against him and, despite her words, was asleep within minutes; her steady breathing and softly murmured whimpers told him that she had slipped in to the land of peaceful dreams.


	136. Chapter 136

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoy! Thanks for the reviews last night! And, wowzer, can we just say how awesome that episode was last night? So happy!!!

Saturday, May 26th, 2012

 

“Are you sure about this, Miss Sam? I don't want to step on your toes...or, make anyone mad. I mean, they come out to see you sing, not me.” Clayton asked nervously as he ran his sweaty palms over the front of his jeans.

“Of course, I'm sure, Clay. And, don't sell yourself short. You've got a great voice, they'll love hearing you perform for them.” Sam smiled at the nervous young man who, judging by the pallor of his skin, looked like he was on the verge of passing out or throwing up at that precise moment. “Plus, I'm going to sing tonight, I'm just not going to sing the whole time. You're doing me a huge favor by stepping in some.”

“Well, if you're sure.” Clay attempted to return Sam's smile, but only managed to force out an expression that closely resembled constipation. He stopped rubbing his hands on his pants and channeled the nervous energy on tightening the strap to his guitar. “But, if you change your mind, don't hesitate to shove me aside, okay? Just say the word and it's all yours again.”

“I'll keep that in mind, Clay, but it's not necessary. I am honestly looking forward to having a little break.” Sam reassured him as she patted him on the bicep, not missing the flush of pink on his freckled cheeks in response to her touch. After Clay turned and left the stage, Sam gathered up her own materials and turned to leave and ran smack dab in to her father. “Daddy, hey. What's up?”

“What's this I hear about Clayton taking over during our celebrations? That wasn't discussed with the council.” Jim barked out and instantly winced in regards to the harshness of his tone, he'd not meant for his questions to come out that way.

“I wasn't aware that I had to get the council's permission about that. And, Clay's not taking over completely, he's just going to step in for a set to give a break.” Sam snapped in return. Over the past couple of weeks, since her mother's death, she had been trying to push aside her anger towards her father and work on repairing their relationship, but it seemed that every time they took one step in the positive direction something would come up and set them back two steps instead. Not that she expected the whole rebuilding process to be easy, but some days it just seemed as though the whole process was just too daunting, that too much was broken between them and irreparable.

“The town wants to hear you sing, Samantha, not Clayton. I just wish you had told me sooner so that I could have informed people of the change.” Jim replied with a sigh. He scrubbed a hand over his salt and pepper beard and simply stared down at the daughter who barely even acknowledged his presence most days.

“I need a break, Daddy. I've been singing about love and life for years, it's time I start living it for myself.” Sam readjusted the strap of her guitar on her shoulder and met her father's steely gaze. “I'd like to be the one to dance to a slow song every once in a while.”

“I understand that, Sam, I do. Just next time you want to make a change, maybe run it by me first?” Jim nodded his head once and turned to leave, but glanced back to Sam before doing so. “I am happy for you, baby girl. I know you don't believe me, but I hope one day you will. It's nice to see you smile and mean it.”

“Thank you, Daddy.” Sam bit back the response that was on the tip of her tongue. The one that pointed out that if he had kept his nose out of her relationship the last twelve years would have went differently, that maybe she'd have spent that time happy with Daryl, instead of simply floating through life, barely experiencing it, until they had found their way back to one another.

“Next time I want to make a change to the performance, I will let you know before hand, okay? But, I really am serious about cutting back some. I missed a lot of time with Daryl, he comes first now for me, not singing. If that's going to be a problem, then I will be happy to step down all together if that's what the council wants?”

“That won't be necessary, Sam. I think a little notice of a change will be sufficient enough.” Jim stared down into his daughter's eye and recognized the stubborn flare in them to be one he saw in his own reflection from time to time. No doubt about it, Sam had inherited his tendency to be a bit bullheaded. Glancing up, he saw Daryl and Jacey making their way towards the center of the square where the tables were set up for the Memorial Day celebration; hand in hand, they looked less like siblings and more like father and daughter. Jim cut an eye back to Sam and said, “Family comes first, baby girl. It's always been that way for me, I can't very well fault you for doing the same. Have a good time up there tonight, for however long you plan on performing.”

Sam simply nodded in response, as she didn't trust her own emotions at the moment. She wanted to break down and cry because she missed the closeness she had once shared with her father, but she also wanted to scream and unleash all the rage that still festered in her heart at his deception. Reminding herself to take it one day at a time, Sam took a deep calming breath and turned around just as Daryl and Jacey walked up. “Hey there, ya'll are here early. We're going to run through a quick rehearsal before dinner.”

“Molly invited me to sleep over tonight. Can I go?” Jacey asked quickly, the excitement of a sleepover was too great for the seven year old, who had been cooped up with her parents, for lack of a better description, for weeks and was in dire need of quality best friend time. “Mrs. Phillips already said it was okay.” She tacked on, letting Sam know that the whole plan had already been cleared by Molly's mother.

“Sure you can. We're going to be out here late tonight anyway, kiddo. What about clothes?” Sam glanced over at Daryl and said, “We haven't gotten everything from the apartment yet, ya'll could probably go check there for some pajamas and something for tomorrow instead of going all the way back to the house.” The downside of moving was the distance from town, but the upsides to the relocation far outweighed the downside, at least in Sam's opinion.

“Yeah, we can hit there first.” Daryl leaned in and kissed Sam quickly, soft and light against the lips, but the simple gesture still caused butterflies to flutter in her stomach. When he pulled back, Daryl cocked that half smile at her and added, in a low enough voice that the distracted kid next to him wouldn't hear, “Means we got the whole place to ourselves. Still got a few places need christened properly.”

“Lead the way. I'm all yours.” Sam blushed as she whispered the words for only Daryl's ears and couldn't contain the wide grin that spread across her face. In the three weeks since they had officially moved back in to the house alone time had been next to nothing, but in the little time they had been able to carve out for themselves, Sam and Daryl had managed to have sex in all of the bedrooms but one, because Jacey's room was strictly off limits, the recording studio in the basement and the kitchen...there were still a few more rooms that needed to be properly christened. “Have fun tonight, baby girl. Mind your manners and I'll see you tomorrow, okay? Probably not until lunch though, but I'm sure that won't be a problem with Molly's mom.” But, she would double check when she saw Janet, just to make sure.

Daryl placed his hand on the top of Jacey's head and used it as a lever to direct the child towards the apartment in hopes of finding clothes. Once they were on their way, Sam turned and headed towards the stage. The band was trying three of her new songs during the performance that night and she really wanted to run through them once more to make sure the kinks were completely out.

Four hours later, after rehearsal and dinner were complete, the town was settled at tables outside the municipal building beneath the canopy of twinkling lights. Thanks to the scavenging run, where thankfully everyone had returned with barely a scratch, the town now benefited from a good bit of solar power that Eugene had managed to rig up for them. While the man was a bit on the kooky side, there was no doubt that he was very well educated, as he had installed and set up several more solar panels on top of the auditorium with ease, which supplied much needed fans during the upcoming summer months, as well as another refrigerator in the kitchen. The other panels that had acquired had gone to the new medical center, which had been set up after the destruction Father Gabriel had caused after he turned. The new location, which was actually just across the street from the old one, now had power to run the overhead lights, fans and a mini-fridge. It wasn't much, but these days, just that small amount of added electricity went a long way towards making things seem less discouraging.

The worst part of the scavenging run had been when Sam had been the one to inform Tyler that their mother had passed away, since she'd had the misfortune of being the only Collins walking through the square when the horses and trailers had come up Main Street. After the initial shock had worn off, Tyler had chosen to be the one to move back in to his childhood home with his father, claiming that Jim was nearing eighty and didn't need to be all the way out there by himself. However, Sam had a feeling that the decision to move may have had a little bit to do with being lonely now that Cassie wasn't spending all of her free time in his house and he was missing the woman he'd kept secret for so long that she'd moved on. Sam didn't miss the wistful glances towards Cassie and Rick during meal times, and suspected that her brother may have actually had feelings for her best friend the whole time, but didn't know how or what to do with those feelings while he had the chance.

Sam scooted her microphone stand a smidgen to the right and slipped the guitar strap over her head. Glancing over her shoulder at Ryan, who had taken up his spot just to the right of her and asked quietly, “You sure you're ready to be back up here?”

“Don't have any other place to be.” Ryan replied with a wink and a smile that seemed to be actually genuine. The four weeks that he had spent on the run seemed to have relieved some of the stress between them and for that Sam was grateful. Smiling back to him, Sam nodded her head and said, “Good. We missed you.”

Turning back to the crowd, Sam took a sip of the water that Daryl had left for her on the edge of the stage before returning to the microphone. After giving her usual greeting, the band broke in to the National Anthem and followed it up with an entire set dedicated to a slew of their older songs. Before the first set was over and a much needed break was taken, the heat of the early summer had Sam's throat parched and the back of her blue sundress damp with sweat, she drained the last bit of water from her glass and said, “Okay, we're going to take a break soon, but first, we're going to do the first of three new songs. It's called _A Thousand Years._ ”

 _“Heart beats fast...Colors and promises...how to be brave...How can I love when I'm afraid to fall...Watching you stand alone...All of my doubt...Suddenly goes away somehow...One step closer.”_ Sam's eyes found Daryl's a midst the crowd and the smile on her face brightened, grew to an almost embarrassing size, but there was nothing in the world that could wipe it off her face. The love she felt for him was too great, at times overwhelming in its strength, and it showed on her face and in her songs. _“I have died every day waiting for you...Darlin' don't be afraid...I have loved you for a thousand years...I'll love you for a thousand more.”_

 _“Time stands still...Beauty in all she is...I will be brave...I will not let anything take away...What's standing in front of me...Every breath, Every hour has come to this...One step closer.”_ The love in her voice barely radiated the amount of love she held for Daryl in her heart. And, while part of her heart tugged for the man standing behind her, Sam knew that a tiny piece of her heart would always belong to Ryan. He had been there for her during the darkest of her days and while she wasn't in love with him, she cared for him deeply and felt bad for having him on stage while singing the new songs to her husband, because had Daryl not come back to town she would have likely still been with Ryan. Sam brushed that thought to the back of her mind and reminded herself that she had given him a chance to back out of the performance tonight.

Taking a deep breath, she started in to the final chorus and smiled out to Daryl as she sang it. _“And all along I believed I would find you...Time has brought your heart to me...I have loved you for a thousand years...I'll love you for a thousand more.”_

Sam reminded the crowd that they would be taking a short break, before jumping off the stage and making a beeline to where Daryl was sitting with his family. The moments when she wasn't in his arms felt as though there was an empty spot in her life, even when they were only separated by a few feet. She wanted nothing more than to spend every moment of the rest of their lives together, wrapped in each other’s arms. For Sam, there would never be another man in her life that she loved with the ferocity that she loved Daryl Dixon. He was the other half of her heart and without him she was incomplete.

And, she was okay with that.

**Song: A Thousand Years by Christina Perri**


	137. Chapter 137

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to preface this chapter by saying just how much I adore the song I used, Fade Into You by Clare Bowen and Sam Palladio from the show Nashville. It truly captured every ounce of emotion I felt while writing this chapter and I strongly suggest that you pull up youtube and search for it, so that you can really get the feels for this chapter while reading. It's good stuff, I promise.  
> 

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

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**Saturday, May 26th, 2012**  


The crowd had thinned as the night sky wrapped them in its dark embrace, parents escorted small children home and the older citizens followed suit. Sam and the band were midway through their second set and Sam was already itching to take a break, but doing so would garner another visit from her father and the subsequent speech revolving around his, and the council's, disappointment in her wasn't something that she felt like dealing with as of yet. While she would gladly hang up her microphone and guitar for Daryl, if forced to choose between performing for the masses and spending time with him, Sam honestly wasn't ready to make that choice at the moment. She loved Daryl and wanted to spend as much time with him as possible, but music ran through her bloodstream just as thick and vibrantly as her love for her husband and she didn't know if she could live without it.

When the current song ended, Sam lifted the strap of the banjo over her head and returned the instrument to the stand near the stairs; trading it out for her trusty guitar. She slid the worn strap of the guitar over her head and settled it across her shoulder and torso while checking with Clayton to confirm the next song in the lineup. The shake of his head let her know that he was ready to step up and sing the duet with her, but the flush in his cheeks told Sam just how nervous he was about doing so. Of course, the content of the love song likely played into the rosy hue on his freckled cheeks, since he was more than capable of crooning about falling in love, but the sexual undertones of the lyrics were a first for him.

When Clayton gave her the thumbs up that he was ready to go, Sam returned her attention to the crowd and introduced the next song. “Okay, Clay's gonna step up and help me sing this one. It's new and honestly, we've only played it a handful of times together, so keep your fingers crossed that we don't screw it up too terribly.” Nodding along with one another, Sam matched Clay chord for chord and let out a calming breath as the first verse keyed up and he started singing his verse, the words she'd written only a week ago by the faint sliver of moonlight that spread across the bed while Daryl slept peacefully next her. _“If you were the ocean and I was the sun...If the day made me heavy and gravity won...If I was the red and you were the blue...I could just fade into you.”_

 _“If you were a window and I was the rain...I'd pour myself out to wash off your pain...I'd fall like a tear so your light could shine through...Then I'd just fade into you.”_ The last word was barely a whisper, pregnant with the love and desire she held for the man she'd written the song for. There was barely a moment to take a breath before Clay joined in to sing the chorus with her. _“In your heart, in your head, in your arms, in your bed, under your skin...Til there's no way to know where you end and I begin.”_

Sam tapped her foot against the stage, slowly rapping out the beat of the music until it was Clay's turn to sing the next verse. His voice was smooth, as if coated in whiskey to seep into your blood and set you on fire slowly. _“If I was a shadow and you were the street...The cobblestone midnight is where we'd first meet...Til the lights flickered out, we dance with the moon...Then I'd just fade into you.”_

When Clay's last word of the verse was sung, Sam leaned in to the microphone and joined in to sing the extended chorus, the one that crept up on her when writing it late that night and caused her blood to pulsate with desire for Daryl. _“In your heart, in your head, in your arms, in your bed, under your skin...Til there's no way to know where you end and where I begin...I wanna melt in...I wanna soak through...I only wanna move when you move...I wanna breathe out when you breathe in...then I wanna fade into you.”_

Finally, it was her turn to sing the final verse and it was all Sam could do to keep focus and play the correct chords and belt out the lyrics without messing up. Daryl's eyes were on her and the simple gesture, combined with the heat of the song that coursed through her body, had Sam aching to jump off the stage and tear his clothes off of his body and have her way with him right then and there. Forcing herself to focus, Sam kept her line of sight on Daryl and sang. _“If I was just ashes and you were the ground...Under your willow they laid me down...There'll be no trace that one was once two...After I fade in to you.”_

 _“And, I'll just fade into you.”_ Truly finished for the night, Sam waited until the applause was finished, before gesturing over to Clayton to give credit where credit was due. After the clapping died down, Sam slipped her guitar strap over her head and said, “Well, folks, that's it for me tonight. If ya'll don't mind too much, I'd like to spend some time out there with my husband. Clay's gonna step in for the rest of the evening!” With barely a moment's pause, Sam turned back to Clay and motioned for him to take over the lead microphone. When he was in place, she patted him on the shoulder comfortingly and said, “Make me proud, Clay.”

“Yes, ma'am.” With two sets under his belt, Clay's nerves had washed away a bit and he seemed to have a bit more confidence than usual. Before he adjusted the microphone to accommodate his height, he asked, “When do you want me to play that song for you, Miss Sam?”

“Give me a little while, if that's not too much trouble? I'm gonna slip away for a bit. Um, how about finish this set and take a break, then start the next one with it?” Clay nodded and Sam smiled in return, eager to hear him sing the song she'd written a few weeks back. While she had initially intended to sing it to Daryl, she had opted instead to claim that slow dance she wanted and have Clay sing it for her.

Sam jogged down the stairs at the side of the stage, her boots clanging loudly against each metal step, and forced herself to not sprint across the cleared area designated for dancing as she made her way over to the table where Daryl was sitting with the rest of his group. She slid in between Cassie and Daryl, fully intending on claiming the empty seat located there, but the feel of Daryl's hand sliding up the back of her bare thigh as she leaned over to kiss him had other thoughts pushing her previously designed plans out of the way. His calloused palm slowly grazed the back of her thigh, working its way up from the curve of her knee to rest just below the edge of her lemon yellow lace and silk panties.

“That was a great song, Sam. Still shocks me that little Clay's voice is that sexy.” Cassie's voice interrupted the rated R thoughts filling Sam's head and brought her back to reality. She tried her hardest to focus on what Cassie was saying and not the way the tips of Daryl's fingers were tracing along the edge of her underwear.

“Thanks. Yeah, Clay's great, it's a shame there's nothing more that can be done for him with his talents. They'd have been all over him up in Nashville with that voice.” Sam replied, mentally congratulating herself for sounding so eloquent in spite of the wickedly teasing things Daryl was doing with his fingers. She clenched her legs together when Daryl's fingers slid between the juncture of her thighs and slid over the now damp silken material of her panties. “I need to run to the restroom.”

“I'll come with.” Cassie announced, unintentionally butting in on Sam's devious plans. She was halfway out of her seat when she finally caught the look in Sam's eyes and froze in place. Lowering herself back into the seat, she smiled knowingly and smoothed her skirt back down to cover her thighs, while doing her best to conceal the laugh that wanted to escape. “Then again, maybe not.”

“I'll be right back.” Sam said quickly, grabbing hold of Daryl's hand and all but pulling him along behind her. After they skirted around the edge of the crowd, effectively avoiding being stopped by anyone in the crowd, and made their way into the empty hallway that led to the bathrooms, Sam turned and plastered herself against Daryl. “You play dirty, mister.”

“Yeah, well, like you don't? Standing up there, looking like that...singing that song? Who's playing dirty?” Daryl growled against her lips, managing to navigate them through the hallway without pulling his lips away from hers. “Damn well best be thanking me for not taking you right there for the whole town to see.”

While the thought of him doing that should have been mortifying, the only response it evoked from her was a flood of desire between her legs that further dampened her underwear. She moaned into his kiss and let Daryl hold her tightly against him, all but carrying her the remainder of the way to the bathroom. They burst in to the dimly lit room, the usual solitary candle flickered wildly on the counter thanks to the sudden movement in the tiled room, and stumbled across the floor until her back was pressed against the wall on the opposite side.

The chemistry between them hadn't lessened one iota since the first day they'd met. It still sizzled and crackled with an intensity that should have been frightening, but was nothing short of all-consuming and exciting. On fire with want, Sam arched against Daryl as his lips trailed down the side of her neck, biting and licking the salty sweat from her skin along the way. The way she felt at that moment was too far gone to give in to such pleasantries as foreplay. Clenching her hands in the material of his shirt, she pulled him back and glared at him. “Lock the door.”

Daryl quickly flipped the lock on the door and watched Sam with hungry eyes as she slid off her underwear and tossed them on to the counter. Her knees trembled in anticipation as he crossed the room in a handful of purposeful strides and crashed his lips upon hers as soon as he was close enough to touch her. Sam raised her arms and circled his neck as his hands sought out the curve of her bare ass and lifted her up so that their centers were joined. The hard length of him, the evidence of his need for her, was solid and thick against her aching sex.

Sam wrapped her legs around his narrow waist and hooked her ankles together, resting her boots over the top of his ass. Held tightly in place between Daryl and the wall, she lowered her hands and worked quickly on unbuckling his belt, tearing open the button fly and lowering the zipper that shrouded his thick erection from her touch. When her hand slid around his cock, its velvety smooth skin throbbed against her palm and radiated heat, Daryl thrust against her touch and moaned low in his throat. Not wasting time, Sam guided the head of his shaft to her entrance and used her feet against his ass to push his cock slowly into her eager body.

“God, Sam.” Daryl choked out, his voice gravelly rough against the curve of her throat. His hips jerked, thrusting his cock further into her, and then his body stilled. He lifted his head to look Sam in the eyes and asked, “You sure?”

“Without a doubt.” Sam replied, her words barely above a whisper. She knew what he was asking, knew that he was checking to make sure that her previous declaration was still something she wanted now. That the lack of barrier between their bodies wasn't something she was going to regret later.

Sam lifted her hands and pushed back the thick locks of his hair so that she could see every inch of the beautiful face in front of her. She pulled him to her and covered his lips with her own, kissing him deeply, pouring every ounce of love and desire that she felt for him into it. Pulling back, her chest heaved as her lungs grabbed hold of much needed oxygen, Sam looked into his eyes and saw the uncertainty that lingered there. Murmuring her assurance, Sam said, “I love you, Daryl. Make a baby with me.”

Moving her hips, Sam urged Daryl to join her, to take her, to bring forth the release their bodies both desired. His mouth crashed down on to hers, devouring her, tasting her, claiming her. When he pulled away, his words were a coarse whisper against her lips. “I love you. More than any damned thing in the world.”

Tears burned in her eyes at the emotion in the tone of his voice and as he finally began to move with her, the trickled over her lashes to spill on to her cheeks; hot, salty and full of her happiness. She tightened her hold on Daryl's waist and pressed the heels of her boots into his ass to spurn him on, to make the thrusts of his hips move faster. His erection filled her to completion, touching parts of her that no man had ever been able to reach. She matched Daryl thrust for thrust, the sound of their bodies coming together filled the room; slick flesh slapping against slick flesh.

Sam dug her nails into Daryl's shoulders, leaving crescent moon shaped indentations on the bare skin just along the edge of his sleeveless shirt. She bit her lower lip as a blinding sensation of pleasure radiated through her body, searing from the inside out, and spilling over until her orgasm tore a scream from her throat; one that was thankfully muffled as Daryl kissed her passionately. She clenched around him tightly and brought him along for the ride, tearing his release from his body and engulfing his shout of ecstasy from his lips the same way he did for her.

Panting, Daryl held her in place, pinned between his hard body and the even harder wall, which was a good thing since Sam doubted her legs would work at that precise moment. Once they'd both caught their breath, he slid from her body and the only regret that Sam felt about what had just happened between them was the absence of him inside of her.

She stood on shaky legs while he tucked his still partially hardened dick back into his pants and straightened her own clothes in the process. After smoothing down the skirt of her white sundress, speckled with tiny red and blue flowers, Sam raised her head to find Daryl staring at her. “What” She asked curiously, a smile on her face.

“You, uh...okay?” He asked awkwardly, clearly waiting for the panic attack that seemed to follow in the wake of unprotected sex with Sam.  
“Perfect.” Sam let the smile on her face spread to its full strength as she raised up on her toes to place a kiss on his lips. “Absolutely perfect.”

**Song: Fade Into You by Clare Bowen and Sam Palladio**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for the reviews this week!!! This time next week the final chapter will be posted. I can't believe it's almost over! Hope everyone enjoys this chapter and has a great rest of the week!


	138. Chapter 138

Saturday, May 26th, 2012

 

“Hey, give me those!” Sam demanded as she tried to snatch the wadded up panties out of Daryl's hand. He immediately held them above his head, a spot that Sam couldn't reach no matter how hard she tried without the assistance of a step stool, and she responded with mock indignation. “You're gonna be in so much trouble if you don't give those back to me!”

“Oh yeah? You ain't gonna do shit, and you know it.” Daryl replied with a smirk that sent shivers straight down her spine. Grinning, he shoved the delicate silk and lace undies into his front pocket and swiftly pulled Sam into his arms. “Kinda like the thought of you sitting right there next to me wearing nothing under that pretty dress of yours.” To sum up exactly what he liked about her lack of underwear, Daryl slid one hand down from her waist and promptly slipped it beneath the skirt of her dress to teasingly stroke the sensitive skin along the apex of her thighs.

“Yeah, okay, that's a good reason.” Sam murmured as her eyes fluttered shut, her response on the verge of being incomprehensible as a moan of desire slipped past her mouth. Biting her lower lip, she widened her stance in hopes that he'd take the exploration of the skin on her inner thighs further north and quell the slow burn of need that was building there. When the feel of his touch disappeared, Sam's eyes flew open and she uttered a shameless groan of disapproval.

“We've been in here long enough. Don't have no desire to have your father come looking for us.” Daryl explained as he smoothed down the front of her dress. Even in the low light of the bathroom he could obviously decipher the flare of annoyance in her eyes. Dipping his head down, Daryl brushed a kiss over her lips before stepping away from her altogether. He held out a hand towards Sam and, when she accepted with a scowl, he said, “Don't think I'm done with you tonight though.”

Sam yelped in surprise when Daryl smacked her on the ass hard enough to sting. Gasping, Sam covered the area with the palm of her hand and rubbed that cheek through her dress, and was surprised to find that what should have annoyed her only made the constant want for Daryl even greater. She whirled around to face Daryl and grabbed hold of the front of the shirt to pull him close to her. “I'm gonna hold you to that promise,” she growled before crushing her mouth against his.

“Are the two of you finished with the bathroom or should we just come back later?” A voice interrupted their embrace that had far surpassed chaste. Wide eyed, Sam broke away from Daryl's lips to find Maggie and Tara waiting by the bathroom door with matching looks of amusement on their faces.

“Oh, no, we're done...I mean, it's all yours.” Sam stammered as red flush of passion on her cheeks turned to an inflamed shade of embarrassment and quickly spread to the rest of her face and down to her chest. Stepping away from the bathroom entrance, Sam pulled Daryl along behind her to allow the girls to enter and, when they were inside the restroom, let go of his hand to cover her face. Feeling the heat of her shame on her face, Sam shook her head and asked, “Is this what death by embarrassment feels like? They totally knew what we were doing in there, didn't they? Oh, god, tell me they didn't know!”

“Judging by the look on Maggie's face? Ain't no doubt they knew. Sorry.” Daryl chuckled, more amused by Sam's reaction to finding Maggie and Tara outside of the bathroom than feeling any sort of shame over the fact. Hell, it wasn't like their whole damned group hadn't been subjected to the moans and groans of Maggie and Glenn's late night rendezvous’ or when they'd go missing from watch for a little afternoon delight. Tara, on the other hand, had looked nearly as mortified as Sam did, instead of amused like Maggie and for that, Daryl wanted to feel a little guilty for making her feel uncomfortable, but couldn't muster up more than a twinge of the emotion. He'd just had fantastic sex with his wife and possibly, maybe, hopefully, made a baby with her. While the bathroom wasn't the most romantic locale for such an event, he was still pretty pleased with the whole situation.

“They ain't gonna say nothing to anyone about it.” Daryl promised, stepping forward to uncover Sam's hands from her face. “Come on. Time to get back out there anyhow.”

Sam followed Daryl outside towards the table that held their friends, but the sound of her name being spoken through the speakers caught her attention. Pulling him to a stop, Sam looked up towards the stage and lifted a hand to Clay, who was scanning the crowd for her. She simply smiled at Daryl's questioning look and led him over to the side of the building, hiding them from prying eyes so that she could enjoy the slow dance she'd been wanting with Daryl.

“This song's one of Sam's, but she asked me to sing it tonight instead. A bit slower than what I normally like, but well, you know...I can't say no to Miss Sam.” Clay blushed a bright red that shouldn't have been possible to achieve outside of being a crayon in a box of colors and started to slowly strum the guitar. There was a slight tremble in his voice as he started singing, the need to impress one of his mentors and make Sam proud weighing heavily on his shoulders. _“I breathe in slow to compose myself...But the bleeding heart I left on the shelf, started speeding now, beating half to death...Cause you're here and you're all mine.”_

“I wanted to slow dance with you again.” Sam explained, stepping into Daryl's embrace to lean her head against his chest. His arms lifted and settled around her body, holding her tightly against him with his cheek resting on her hair. As they swayed together slowly, hidden in the shadows of the building behind them, Sam murmured along softly to the lyrics she'd poured her heart and soul in to for him. _“So I press my lips down into your neck...And I stay there and I reconnect...Bravery I've been trying to perfect...It can wait for a while. Scared of the hope in my head, it's been making me sweat...but it turns out, you're here with your head on my chest...I should've guessed. The world will turn and we'll grow, we'll learn how to be...To be incomplete.”_

_“I breathe out now and we fall back in...Just like before we can re-begin...Let your lungs push slow against my skin...Let it all feel just right.”_ Clay's deep voice contrasted so differently to Sam's breathless one, adding depth to the song that seemed to have been written solely for the purpose of his whiskey coated voice to sing. _“Gone is the emptiness...We just take what's best and we move on...All of the hurt gets left, I should've guessed.”_

_“But the world will turn and we'll grow, we'll learn how to be...to be incomplete...This here now, it's where we touch down...You and me, let's be incomplete.”_ Sam turned her cheek away from Daryl's chest and pressed a kiss to the spot it had rested upon, the swatch of material that covered the heart that was in his chest, but was hers wholeheartedly. She expected the tears that had filled her eyes to pop up the way they had done when she'd written the song, but they didn't make an appearance and their absence shocked her. Had the day finally come when she had nothing to cry about? Was this what complete happiness felt like? If it was, then it was something she could get used to.

Sam tilted her head back to look up at Daryl, shocked to see the evidence of the tears that were absent in her own eyes glittering at her in the moonlight. She lifted a hand and used the pad of her thumb to swipe away one tear that clung to the bottom of the thick lashes below his right eye. Singing to him softly, she felt her heart swell with the love in her heart that belonged to Daryl and Daryl only. _“How'd we go without...I don't know, but it looks like we've made it again...Tell me you'll never look down... And the world will turn and we'll grow, we'll learn how to be...to be impcom-...I don't wanna look down...I don't want us to break up in the clouds...All I want is to stay us, to stay with you now.”_

By the time Clay repeated the chorus, Sam had stopped singing along with him. Lips locked, she fell completely into Daryl's embrace and returned his kiss with wild abandon. _“And the world will turn and we'll grow, we'll learn how to be...to be incomplete...This here now it's where we touch down...You and me, let's be incomplete.”_

The ending of the song she'd specifically requested didn't even register in Sam's mind, her attention focused solely on the man whose arms she was wrapped tightly in, the one who had his tongue thrust into her mouth to taste her, the one who had her on fire with a simply kiss. Daryl's erection was once again present and making itself known, pressed against her stomach, rock hard and insistent in its want.

As Clay introduced his next song, Daryl tore his mouth from hers and growled into her ear, “You gonna marry me or what?” His voice was rough against her skin, hot and moist, it sent chills through her body and caused the desire in the pit of her stomach to coil tighter.

“Huh? Wait, what?” Sam stammered, the haze of passion clouded her brain as her body was focused solely on the fire for Daryl that boiled in her bloodstream. She held on to his biceps to steady herself and realized what he was asking...what he'd been asking her daily for the past two weeks. “One track mind much? We're already married and I don't want...no, I don't need a wedding to make that any clearer. Now, shut up. I need something else from you right now.”

“I'm gonna wear you down one day, you know that, right?” Daryl grumbled, halfway protesting about Sam's lack of interest in a wedding. Not because he actually wanted to have one, but because he didn't want her to regret not getting the wedding ceremony she'd once talked about with glee; the one she couldn't have because her father refused to accept their relationship back then. Daryl wanted to make up for everything that had went wrong during the first run of their marriage and felt that the wedding ceremony was one of the easier ones to accomplish.

“Which one of us is the woman in this relationship? Cause you're sounding a little feminine.” Sam retorted with a frustrated sigh. Here she was, dripping with anticipation for Daryl's cock, and he was too busy yammering about wedding bells to thoroughly fuck her. What had the world come to? Giving in enough to shut him up for the time being, she latched on to him and said, “I'll agree to think about it some more, if you'll shut up and have sex with me.”

“Deal.” Daryl replied, greedily sucking on Sam's bottom lip as she all but climbed up his body. He released the plump lower lip long enough to growl, “And I ain't no damned woman.” And, he planned on proving just how non-feminine he was right then and there; potential audience be damned.

Clay's voice washed over them as they stumbled back against the brick wall, in a tangle of limbs and desire so great it consumed them. _“So here we are...here all alone...the band quit playing, everyone went home...but the stars are still out, and you're so damned hot...and I ain't ready for the music stop. Baby be my love song! Be my all night long...be buzz in my Dixie cup...steady rockin' til the sun comes up...you know I really love to watch you dance...baby be my 'oh hell yeah'...I feel a little sing a long comin' on...baby, be my love song.”_

 

**Songs: Incomplete by James Bay and Baby Be My Love Song by Easton Corbin**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it guys...the final countdown. Sniff Sniff...only 3 more chapters to go.


	139. Chapter 139

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Saturday, March 9th, 2013**  
_

 

“I now pronounce you husband and wife.” Pastor Jones announced proudly, the smile on his face genuine and wide as he gestured towards the newly married couple. Winking towards the dark haired groom, he added with glee, “You may now kiss your bride.”

As the happily wed couple turned towards one another and the groom planted a kiss that was less than chaste on his new bride, the grin on Pastor Jones's face somehow managed to grow a kilowatt brighter. Once the couple broke apart, tears of happiness shining in the brides eyes and a grin the size of Texas on the grooms face, he turned his attention towards the guests and announced, “May I present Mr. and Mrs. Richard Grimes!”

“I can't believe I am standing at Cassie Delaney's wedding.” Sam muttered to Daryl, who held on to her upper arm lightly as he helped her stand up. “Miss I-Wouldn't-Get-Married-If-My-Life-Depended-On-It sure changed her tune when Rick came along, didn't she?”

“Guess when the right one comes along things change. Sure did with you.” Daryl wrapped an arm around Sam's shoulders and stood with her as the couple made their way down the aisle towards the auditorium where the reception would be held. Mother Nature had kept the cooler weather at bay for the late afternoon wedding, but the nip in the air made him glad that the bride hadn't insisted on an outdoor reception, too. Glancing over at Sam, he took notice of the red flush in her cheeks and chill bumps on her forearms and amended his previous thought about the indoor reception to being that he was damn ecstatic about it. The last thing Sam needed was to stand around in the cold night air on stage, risking catching a cold to make her best friend happy by singing at her wedding. Of course, in Sam's current condition he wouldn't have allowed it anyway, no matter how much she argued with him. Daryl rubbed his arm up and down on her upper arm and muttered, “We should get inside. You’re shivering.”

“I'm not that cold, but yeah, I need to get inside and make sure the stage is set up and ready to go. Being the Matron of Honor didn't let me stray far from Cassie today to do a sound check with the band.” Sam leaned against Daryl's warmth and smiled up at him as he lifted his other hand and laid it gently on top of her distended belly. At around eight and a half months pregnant, her normally petite frame was stretched beyond capacity and made her feel like a small VW bus.

“How's my boy?” He asked, rubbing Sam's belly with a soft smile on his face. “He behaving for you today?” Daryl did his best to hide the annoyance he felt that Sam was not only out of the house, but out of the bed that Krista had sentenced her to nearly a month ago, and pigheaded enough to refuse his suggestion about missing Cassie and Rick's wedding. It didn't make him feel any better that their little bundle of joy had been doing somersaults in Sam's belly and generally making a nuisance of himself.

“The baby is just fine, and so am I. So, just wipe that concerned look off your face. Everything is A-OK in the baby department.” Sam waddled down the aisle after Cassie, following after her best friend from the seat she'd had to sit in during the ceremony, since she hadn't been able to stand beside her thanks to her current condition. While Sam had hated not being next to Cassie, she had to admit that the extra weight around her middle would have made standing for the ceremony downright miserable. Not that she'd have been able to argue the point with her doctor, since agreeing to sit instead of stand had been the only way Krista would allow her out of the house for the nuptials. “And, what makes you so certain we're having a boy, huh? It could just as easily be a little girl, you know?”

“Nah. I know it's a boy.” Daryl replied with utmost certainty as he followed along beside Sam as they slowly made their way to the auditorium, the happy couple having long since walked off and left them.

“And if it's not? Are you going to pout when it's a little girl?” Sam asked lightheartedly, knowing without a doubt that Daryl would be nothing but ecstatic with whatever gender baby they ended up with, so long as she and their baby came out healthy and happy.

“Don't worry about that. I'm gonna get you knocked up again real quick and that time it's gonna be a girl.” Daryl rested his hand on Sam's lower back as she stepped inside the auditorium that had been transformed into a romantic reception area for the evening, hundreds of twinkling lights had been strung from the metal rafters to provide a golden glow and white table cloths had been located to cover the candle topped tables.

“Oh, you are, are you? Pretty sure of yourself, Dixon. You're no spring chicken.” Sam replied with a laugh, using her mother's words to tease him. She stopped and turned to face him once they were out of the flow of traffic coming into the room and gestured for him to lean over, since the extra girth on her frame didn't allow much ease in the tiptoe department. When Daryl was close enough, Sam pressed a light kiss to his lips and said, “But, I'm willing to practice that baby making thing with you as soon as Krista gives me the all clear. I miss you.”

“Counting the minutes.” Daryl assured her, his eyes flashing with the need his body desired. It had been over a month since they'd made love thanks to his damn sister-in-law insisting that Sam wasn't up to anything other than bed rest, and he was fairly certain he was going to explode soon...and wasn't looking forward to waiting another two months before he could bury himself inside of his wife. Smiling down at Sam, he placed his hands on the swell of her belly and smiled when the touch was rewarded with a kick from his child. He looked up from his hands and asked, “I ever tell you how beautiful you look tonight?”

“You did, although it's not nice to lie, you know? I look like a freaking beached whale.” Sam groaned and covered his hands with her own. “Don't get me wrong, I love this little baby with all my heart, but if he...or she, doesn't get out of there soon I am going to go bananas.”

“It'll happen soon enough.” Daryl promised, eager to have hold the baby in the hands that were being kicked at rapidly. He still didn't understand how that feeling didn't freak Sam out in the slightest, just feeling it on the outside of her belly was strange to him, but he wasn't the mother, so maybe it was supposed to be that way to him. Maybe he was supposed to feel an odd mixture of awe and weirdness?

Their bubble was suddenly broken by the sound of her father's voice booming from the stage, which was Sam's signal to get her butt in gear and get ready to present the bride and groom with their present from her...a song handwritten specifically for their first dance as husband and wife. A song that she had agonized over for weeks because she wanted it to sound just right, to feel perfect for them.

Sam left Daryl standing along the edge of the crowd, knowing he'd eventually make his way towards the table with the rest of his family, and waddled up onto the stage just as her father was finishing up his speech for the new couple. She stood next to her dad, sharing a smile with him when he glanced her way, one that was genuine as they'd come leaps and bounds since last spring in regards to repairing their relationship. While she hadn't forgiven him for what he'd done, she had come to be able to live with it and move on from there. It was the best she could offer for the moment.

She stared down at the couple in the center of the crowd, arms wrapped around each other and faces full of sheer happiness. Cassie was a gorgeous bride, not that that wasn't to be expected since she was a stunning woman when she wasn't in a beautiful cream colored wedding gown that hugged her curves and glowing with the happiness that came from being in love. Sam watched as Rick dipped his head and nuzzled Cassie's neck, eliciting a throaty laugh from her that echoed throughout the room, and felt only a twinge of jealousy. She pushed away the green eyed monster before he could truly rear his ugly head, reminding herself that she chose to not have a wedding with Daryl and opted instead to exchange a declaration of their love for one another on the night of the original wedding date, just the two of them, beneath the stars on the balcony of their home after they'd made love. She had been a good three months pregnant at the time, only a slight bump present on her belly, but Daryl had spent a great deal of time kissing every single inch of skin on that baby bump. The night had been exactly what she had wanted, the two of them affirming their love for each other. Nothing more, nothing less.

Finally, her father ended yet another one of his long winded speeches and she accepted the microphone and a kiss on the cheek from him. She felt naked without her guitar, but the bulge of her belly wouldn't allow her to play it, so she stood in front of her band and greeted the crowd. “Before we start, I just want to say how happy I am for Rick and Cassie. It's not every day that your best friend finds the person they're meant to spend the rest of their life with. Rick, I know I've said it before, but as the best friend I have to say it again...you hurt her and you have to deal with me. I may be small, but I'm fierce.” Sam narrowed her eyes at Rick in the most menacing way she could possibly muster up at the moment, and laughed when he had the decency to feign fright. “Cassie, you've been the sister I never had and always wanted, my backbone, my protector, my personal cheerleader, my everything for over twenty years. I love you more than you'll ever truly know and I am so happy for you. I wish you both nothing but happiness.”

Sam paused, the lump in her throat refusing to let her do anything more than wipe at the tears in her eyes, while Cassie did the same. After composing herself, she continued, “Thanks to my doctor, who refuses to let me stay up and play all night, I will only be performing one song tonight and then Clay's going to take over. Krista tried to tell me I wasn't going to do this much, but we see who won out on that argument. Like I would miss singing the first song to the happy couple.” But, Sam admitted to herself, she was tired and her back and feet were trying to kill her slowly. Plus, whatever she'd eaten for lunch was not settling well in her stomach. Gas maybe? She just prayed she made it through the one song without farting loudly. She eased down onto the chair that someone had graciously thought to put up there for her and sighed in relief. “I wrote this song specifically for Cassie and Rick, I hope ya’ll like it. It's called _When the Right One Comes Along.”_

She cast a quick glance over her shoulder to get the thumbs up from the band and tapped her foot on the floor along with the beat of the music. _“There's no music, no confetti...Crowds don't cheer, and bells don't ring...But you'll know it, I can guarantee...When the right one comes along.”_

_“What they're thinkin', what you're feelin'...You no longer have to guess...All those questions are finally put to rest...When the right one comes along.”_ Sam took a deep breath, one that did nothing to quell the feeling of unease that had her heart thumping and a sheen of sweat popping out on her skin. Ever the professional, she pasted on a smile and pushed the icky feeling aside to continue singing. _“Every single broken heart will lead you to the truth...You think you know what you're looking for...'Til what you're looking for finds you.”_

_“In a cold world, it's a warm place...Where you know that you're supposed to be...A million moments full of sweet relief...When the right one comes along.”_ Sam’s gaze connected with Daryl's and the one he returned showed that he knew something was wrong with her, she could tell by the furrow in his brow and the hard set in his jaw. Not wanting to give away just how unsettled she was feeling, Sam looked away from him, only to have her eyes meet up with her brother and a twinge of heartache hit her at the sadness in his eyes. While Tyler had been on his best behavior around Cassie since his return, it hadn't been enough to pull her away from Rick. The evidence of just how much his heart still hurt was written all over his handsome face as he watched the woman he'd let get away dance with the man she'd ran to. It was that expression that had Sam regretting the lyrics she was about to sing once more. _“Every single broken heart will lead you to the truth...You think you know what you're looking for...'Til what you're looking for finds you.”_

_“It's so easy, nothin' to it...Though you may not believe me now...But I promise, honey you'll find out...When the right one comes along.”_ A sharp pain seared through Sam, nearly doubling her over with its ferocity, but she managed to breathe through it since the end of the song was near. One final short verse and then she could retire to a chair in the crowd and rest. _“All that changes is only everything...When the right one...”_

The last two words of the song exited Sam's mouth in a guttural groan of pain as pain shot through her midsection once more, this time achieving its goal of making her double over from the pain. Panting, Sam tried to recall the breathing techniques that Lindy had been teaching her, but all she could manage at the moment was a gasp of breath here and there while holding her belly and scanning the crowd with wide, frenzied eyes in search of her husband.

When Sam's eyes finally made contact with Daryl's, she somehow managed to smile through the pain and cry out, “I think it's time!”

 

**Song: When The Right One Comes Along by Clare Bowen and Sam Palladio**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dedicate this chapter to everyone who has been whining about babies this whole time. LOL


	140. Chapter 140

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Tuesday, January 21st, 2014**  
_

 

The late afternoon sun poured into the bedroom, spreading its hazy rays with a golden hue and filling the room with a sunny, soft glow. Sitting in the rocking chair that had been left behind by the previous residents. Sam slowly rocked the tiny baby in her arms to soothe its grumpy disposition. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked down into his perfect face, with its tiny little nose, squishy red cheeks and dark brown eyes that looked up at her with complete trust. She knew that if she dipped her head down just a little bit, that she could inhale that intoxicating baby scent. As his adorably small fingers wrapped around her index finger, holding on as tight as he could possibly manage, Sam looked over to his mother with tear filled eyes and a luminous smile.

“He's just precious, Cass. I'd say he's the most perfect little baby there ever was, but that might make my little guy jealous.” Sam sighed contentedly and gave in to the urge to sniff that baby scented head, and pressed a kiss to his forehead after a good, long whiff.

“It's amazing, isn't? That somehow, no matter how crappy life can be, something that sweet and absolutely breathtaking can make everything better.” Cassie swiped at the tears that filled her eyes, uncontrollably weepy thanks to the rampant pregnancy and labor hormones coursing through her body, and gave Sam a watery smile. She reached over to touch her son's head, the dark scattering of hair there felt silky soft beneath her fingers. “I just hope I don't screw him up too bad.”

“Oh, hush. You're going to be a fantastic mother.” Sam eased out of the rocking chair slowly and leaned over the bed to transfer the wriggling baby in her arms back to his mother. Once he was back in Cassie's arms, snuggled to her chest and making the cutest little grunting noises, Sam amended her previous statement. “No, you're already a great mother, look at how well you've done with Judith and Carl. They love you to pieces, Cass. Don't sell yourself short. I'm positive that you're going to be great with Johnathan and that he's going to love you more than anything in the world.”

“Thanks, Sammie. I...shit, I just don't want to screw this up, you know? I don't want to be like my mother.” Cassie choked on her confession and tried her best to blink away the tears that were flowing freely now. “I just want him to grow up, healthy and happy. And, of course, love me more than any other woman in the world.”

“Yeah, pretty sure that's what most mom's want.” Sam wiped away the tears on her own face, the ones that apparently didn't want Cassie to be crying alone, and laughed at the two of them. Once the chuckles and tears subsided, she nodded towards the baby who was now making quite the grunting fit and said, “I'm going to give you some privacy, looks like that little guy is hungry.”

“Don't go far! I may need your help. I couldn't get him to do eat earlier, if he doesn't latch on this time I'm going to flip out.” Cassie chewed on her lip nervously and looked up at Sam with sheer panic in her eyes. “What do I do if he won't feed?”

“Let's not get too ahead of ourselves just yet. Take a breath, calm down...babies can sense it when their mommies are upset.” Sam crossed the room and opened the door as Cassie opened the top of her robe. “Want me to send Rick in?”

“Yes, please. He's got more practice at this baby thing than I do.” Cassie said, before holding her breath while she guided her baby's head to her breast. When Johnathan latched on immediately and started suckling greedily, both women released the breaths they'd been holding and a glow of happiness shined on Cassie's face. “He did it!”

“See? I told you it would work out. Collin gave me fits the first couple of times, too. Remember?” Overcome with the need to hold her own son, Sam gave her best friend a small wave and slipped from the bedroom.

She jogged down the stairs and turned in the foyer to head to the kitchen in search of Rick and ran straight into him. “Just the man I was looking for! Cassie asked me to send you back up. She was worried he wouldn't feed again, but looks like he was hungry enough this time.”

“Eh, none of my kids refuse food for too long.” Rick joked, as he put one foot on the lower step. “Daryl's in the den with the kids. Might want to go rescue him.”

“Please, he's better with kids than I am. But, I'm kinda needing some baby holding of my own right now. So, I'm gonna go steal Colin away from him.” Sam told Rick that she'd be up to see Cassie in a little bit, and quickly headed down the hallway in search of her husband and son.

“Figured you'd have smuggled that kid out of there by now.” Daryl said when she walked into the den empty handed. Knowing her better than anyone, he grabbed hold of the baby that was chewing on a plastic block and handed him to her.

“You've still got plenty of that baby smell, don't you?” Sam stuck her nose to Collin's downy soft blonde hair and inhaled deeply. “I could just eat you up. I could, just stick you in a pita pocket and have you for a snack. You're just the sweetest, most adorable baby in the whole world.”

“How's Cassie doing?” Daryl asked after Sam got settled on the couch next to him.

“Happy, nervous, overwhelmed, scared, ecstatic. Same way I was, pretty sure it's how all new moms feel.” Sam glanced around the room and asked, “Where's Carl?”

“With your niece. Did you know him and Bailey was running around together?” Daryl frowned at the comment, having a hard time wrapping his mind around the fact that Bo's youngest daughter was old enough to be dating Rick's oldest boy, since he could very plainly recall when both kids were just snot nosed little brats; Carl mostly.

“Cassie mentioned something about it. I think it's sweet. Carl's a cutie, especially since Cassie talked him in to cutting his hair some. And, Bailey's a sweetheart, completely took after her mother, thankfully.” Sam unbuttoned her shirt and flipped down the front of her nursing bra, taking full advantage of the privacy created by her best friend and Rick being upstairs doing the same thing. When her son latched on immediately and started greedily sucking on her breast and his bright blue eyes locked with hers, Sam smiled down at him and smoothed a hand over his head. “Always so hungry.”

“Got his mom's appetite.” Daryl joked, earning himself a look from Sam that let him know just how amused she was with his remark. Shrugging, he smiled at her and said, “Certainly didn't get it from me. Unless you count the fascination he's got with your boobs? That, he got from me.”

“Hush.” Sam nodded towards the corner of the room where Jacey was playing dolls with Judith, although the soft laughter she couldn't hold back indicated she wasn't upset with Daryl's comment. Glancing over at him, she lowered her voice to a near whisper and added, “How about we schedule you some alone time with my breasts later? It's been a while.”

“Been longer than 'a while', damn near been forever.” Daryl grumbled with a pout plastered on his face. While he wouldn't trade his son for anything in the world, the sudden presence of a baby had brought their sex life to a screeching halt and he missed the connection with his wife fiercely. Their sanity had been tested on more than one occasion thanks to Collin's bout with colic that lasted for the first four months of his life, but the past five months had been less stressful, thank goodness, although Colin was still sleeping in their room and therefor, a constant wedge between their sex life. He had been putting off having the dreaded conversation with Sam about relocating Collin to his own bedroom across the hall, but the talk was going to have to happen sooner, rather than later. Treading as carefully as possible, Daryl broached the subject, figuring Sam would be less likely to freak out with everyone around the house. “Maybe we could schedule that 'play date' tonight? Put Collin in his bedroom for a while?”

“I think that could be arranged.” Sam felt her heart skip a beat at the look in Daryl's eyes at her reply. Clearly, she wasn't the only one in the relationship feeling a little ignored. After the four month screaming fit had died down, Sam had welcomed the calm that had followed the storm, and it had seemed that Daryl had, too. However, when weeks without sex turned into months, she had started to feel like maybe he just didn't want to have sex with her anymore. That maybe he wasn't attracted to her any longer? She'd lost her baby weight fast enough thanks to breast feeding and being too damn tried to eat much of anything, but now she was a little on the thin side and sure, she hadn't shaved her legs in a while, to say the least. When was the last time she'd washed her hair?

Suddenly, Sam felt grimy and more unattractive than she'd felt in a long time. Thankfully, Daryl had rigged up a water collection system at the house, so she could take a bath when she got home. Granted, that all depended on the squishy bundle of baby in her arms that rarely appreciated being away from his mother. But, if the look in her husband's eyes meant he was aching for sex with her as much as she wanted to with him, then her precious son was just going to have to do without her long enough for her to thoroughly scrub, shave and lotion herself back to normal.

Realizing that Collin had finished feeding, Sam tore her eyes from Daryl's and focused on the task at hand; putting her breast back in to her bra, buttoning her shirt and burping her son. Once that was complete, she glanced over at Daryl and was more than eager to get home. “Cassie's probably going to whine about it, but I think it's past time for us to get home. I'm going to go up and say goodbye. You should probably come with, she mentioned wanting to see you earlier.”

“Yeah, let me grab Ass Kicker. Might as well take her up to Rick.” Daryl pushed off the couch and crossed the room to where the girls were making a spectacular mess out of the Barbie dolls and other toys, and leaned over to grab Judith, who kicked and whined her disapproval in regards to being picked up until she realized whose arms she was in. With the look of a little girl with her first crush, Judith stared up at Daryl with big blue eyes full of adoration and snuggled against him without fussing anymore.

“Just another girl you've got wrapped around your finger.” Sam shook her head in disbelief and leaned over to talk to the toddler in his arms. “Keep your hands to yourself, Squirt. He's mine.” Judith promptly leaned forward and blew a raspberry on Sam's cheek, which either meant she had no clue what Sam was saying to her, or the kid just didn't care. Sam laughed and wiped the baby drool off her face, while glancing over to Jacey. “You want to come see the baby before we go? Say hi to Aunt Cass?”

As if there was any doubt what Jacey's answer would be, especially after she darted out of the den and made it halfway to the stairway before Sam called out to her to slow down. “Let me check to see if it's okay for everyone to be in their bedroom before you go busting in there, kiddo.”

Upstairs, Sam knocked softly on the door and waited until she heard Rick give the all clear to open it. Peering around the edge of the door, Sam whispered, “Is it okay if we all come in?”

“Of course.” Rick stood up from the seat he'd taken over when Sam left earlier and waved them over to see the new mother and sleeping baby. “He just fell asleep though.”

“Well, it's been a busy day for him.” Sam replied with a smile as she reclaimed the rocking chair and did her best to hold a squirming Collin on her lap. Seems he desperately wanted to check out the newest member of their eclectic family. Waving Jacey over, she let her daughter squeeze in between the rocking chair and the bed to peek at the slumbering baby.

Cassie looked over at Jacey and Sam watched as the new mother tried her best to stifle a yawn, further proof that it was time for the Dixon brood to make their way down the street to their own home. The Grimes’ family had only moved into one of the vacant homes on the street the Dixon's lived on a couple of weeks ago, but the excitement of having her best friend right around the corner once again had yet to wear off of Sam.

Once what turned out to be a set of sleepy yawns passed, Cassie reached out to Jacey and pulled her closer to the bed so she could see the baby better. “This is Johnathan. I guess you'd say he's kind of your cousin, since I'm kind of your aunt.”

“He's so little.” Jacey said with complete awe filling her blue eyes. Looking over at Sam and Collin, she added, “I think he's smaller than Collin was. Who'd of thunk that was even possible?”

After Jacey thoroughly inspected the baby and had been given the task of once again keeping Judith occupied, Cassie waved Daryl closer and said to him and Sam, “We'd already settled on Johnathan, since that's Rick's dad's name, but we've been going back and forth on middle names.” Cassie looked from Rick over to Daryl and added, “We thought you might like to settle the argument for us? Daryl or Dixon? Because I'm partial to Dixon, since that's what I've always called you.”

“Why you wanna do that to the kid? Give him Sam as a middle name or something.” Daryl muttered with a frown on his face. “Just ‘cause we gave our kid Rick's name don't mean you gotta do the same.”

“I know that, but we want to. Collins Richard Dixon, which means my baby is going to be Johnathan Daryl or Johnathan Dixon Grimes. Would you just pick one, Dixon, you're giving me a headache.” Cassie growled with frustration and glared at her husband, giving him a glare that plain as day said for him to step in and fix the situation.

“Best we stick with Daryl, that way you can keep calling him Dixon when you're aggravated with him and Johnathan won't think he's in trouble. That work?” Rick offered, giving what had to be the most logical solution to the issue since Cassie had a tendency to yell at Daryl using his last name. Reaching down to stroke a hand over his son's black haired head, Rick's smile was nearly blinding. “Johnathan Daryl Grimes, sounds like a damn fine name to me.”

“A little Rick and Daryl for the next generation.” Sam gushed, smiling up at her husband who'd finally made his way fully into the bedroom to stand next to her. Although doing so would risk Collin getting his full squirm on, she removed a hand from his chubby baby belly and reached out to slip it in Daryl's hand. “They'll be best friends, too.”

“Nah, they're brothers.” Was Daryl's only reply, and Sam could have sworn she saw a sparkle of tears in his eyes when doing so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the review! Epilogue will be posted tomorrow night. :(


	141. Chapter 141

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is it...the ending. Sniff Sniff. I can't believe the journey of Sam and Daryl is complete. Thank you so much to everyone that has read, subscribed, voted and especially, reviewed this story.

[ ](http://s31.photobucket.com/user/speclagntx/media/BeFunky%20Collage_zpscdc16pt8.jpg.html)

_The Past: Daryl Dixon and Samantha Collins The Present: Daryl Dixon/Samantha Collins/Justina Clementine Dixon "Jacey"/Cassandra Delaney/ Rick Grimes_

_  
**Saturday, March 1st, 2014**  
_

Two years had passed since they had wandered into Collins, exhausted, starving and carrying all their earthly possessions on their backs. Never in a million years would Daryl have thought that their lives would have changed so drastically after finding one another after the outbreak. Hell, there were times when he woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for air and desperately trying to figure out where he was, sure that the nightmare he'd been having was reality and not the feel of his wife's body pressed against him in the soft bed. It was those nights when the touch of Sam's hand, reaching out to him in the darkness, would bring him back to the reality that was his life; reminding him that despite the odds, he had survived what they thought was the end of the world and achieved everything he had ever wanted out of life.

Mother Nature had yet to release her clutch on the winter months, leaving a bite in the cold air outside, so the monthly town gathering was still relegated to the auditorium. After chipping in for a handful of songs, he could tell that Sam's energy was sapped and she was ready to go. Which was fortunate, since Collin had long since conked out and was snoring lightly in Daryl's arms, and Jacey was worn slap out to the point of being on the verge of cranky. He made eye contact with Sam as she jumped off the stage and managed to convey that the children were ready to go all without words, and was grateful that Sam smiled in return to show her eagerness at the idea of leaving.

“Ya’ll heading out so early?” Rick asked as he tried to dodge the finger that Johnathan was currently trying to stick up his nose. Smiling at the fact he was finally able to contain both of his son's tiny hands in one of his own while he talked to Daryl, Rick added, “Sam's barely sang tonight.”

“Yeah, she ain't been sleeping well the past couple weeks, little one's been keeping her up.” Daryl gestured towards the stroller where the guilty party was currently sleeping peacefully. “That ain't gonna last long.”

“I'd say you should take a shift, but I have a feeling that has already been suggested and Sam shot you down?” Cassie piped in, leaning over to smooth down a lock of Johnathan's curly hair. “She's going to have to sleep at some point. I could come spend the night and help out, if you want? Johnathan sleeps through the night and then some, so he won't be any trouble.”

“You're more than welcome to come spend the night, Cass, but I don't need anyone coming over to watch my child so I can sleep.” Sam chimed in, shooting Daryl a slightly sour look that was clearly meant to show her disapproval at his loose lips in regards to her current overly tired situation. Crouching down to the stroller, she checked to make sure all the blankets were appropriately tucked in before depositing a multitude of feather light kisses atop downy soft hair before standing back up. She gave up on trying to stifle the yawn that was aching to be released and let it rip loudly. “Okay, home it is. Fingers crossed that everyone in the Dixon household sleeps tonight.”

After saying the required goodbyes to the table, giving Sam extra time to pat Maggie's baby bump in the process, they wove through the tables towards her family; knowing that there would be hell to pay if they left without saying goodbye to them, too. Daryl maneuvered the cumbersome stroller into the narrow walkway between the tables so that Jim could say goodnight and turned to Carol while he did so. “Was wondering where you went off to.”

“Josh asked if we could have dinner with his family tonight.” The blush on Carol's cheeks was refreshing and showed Daryl a glimpse into the woman he thought she might have been before falling prey to a man like her former husband. She glanced over to Sam, who was doing her best to stay awake and on her feet, and said, “I take it sleep is still being illusive?”

“Damn near scarce.” Daryl sighed rubbed a hand over Sam's back. He glanced slightly to Carol's left to where Josh Collins's hand peeked around the edge of her shoulders, thrown over the metal back of the chair with his fingers lightly tracing along the outside of her bicep while he talked to his son, Cooper, and daughter, Hannah, who were seated across the table. He was happy to see her making an effort to move on and form attachments with other members of the community. It was also nice to see Sam’s brother, one of the ones who had been at least tolerable to him from the start, moving on since his wife’s death during the start of the outbreak. Daryl nodded his approval towards Carol, but didn't say anything out loud because doing so would undoubtedly embarrass her. “Aight, we got a long walk, best get on with it.”

The walk back to their house was long and tiresome, one of the only faults at moving back to Sam's house, and the night air was chilly against their faces. By the time they walked up the pathway to the front door, the trio not tucked in beneath warm blankets had bright red cheeks and runny noses. March was doing its best to not give up its wintry weather this year and the temperature outside seemed to have dropped a good ten degrees in just the time it took for them to make the trek home.

Once inside the house, Daryl handed Jacey a flashlight from the table in the foyer and pointed her in the direction of the stairs with instructions to get dressed for bed while he put Collin to bed. With his own flashlight, he turned to Sam and gave her the third one when she stood up from the stroller with their daughter in her arms; a bundled four month old baby swaddled in pink and yellow blankets. “I'll get them in bed. You just handle the little one.”

“Thank you, baby.” Sam brushed a kiss across Daryl's lips and turned to head up the stairs, casting one glance over her shoulder to watch with a warm heart as he gathered their sleeping son into his arms with all the care of someone carrying the most precious of packages. When he turned to head up the stairs, their gazes connected and even in the dark they could both see the love for one another that lived there.

After tucking Collin in to his crib, making sure to arrange the multitude of stuffed animals just the way he liked them and flipping on the solar powered nightlight that was clipped to the railing, Daryl leaned over and kissed his son on the forehead before quietly exiting the room. Bypassing the doorway to the master bedroom, he paused long enough on in the sitting area to quickly rebuild the fire that had died while they were in town, before he continued down the hallway to the bedroom at the end and pushed open the partially shut white door covered in glittery unicorn stickers and stepped inside the lavender bedroom that looked, in his opinion, like a candy store had vomited in there. However, one look at the glamorous bedroom proved yet again that Sam had spared no expense when it came to providing for his little sister.

He walked across the room, his feet sank into the large pastel rainbow colored rug that covered the majority of the wooden floor, and sat down on the edge of Jacey's white four poster princess bed, complete with gauzy white curtains. “You ready to sleep or gonna demand I read that wizard book again?” Daryl asked while mentally crossing his fingers that Jacey wouldn't request that he start reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for the third time, the first two times he'd had to read it had been more than enough.

“I'm just gonna go to sleep tonight. If that's okay?” She answered, her voice thick and slightly slurred with sleep. Jacey rolled over on her side and pulled her stuffed dog tightly against her chest. “Maybe we can start it again tomorrow night.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Daryl replied, all the while thinking more along the lines of maybe not. Leaning over, he tousled her halo of golden curls and kissed her cheek, a gesture that he was finally comfortable with performing. “Get some sleep, kid.”

“Hey, you forgot something.” Jacey's voice called out to him in the darkness and Daryl turned in the doorway to look back towards the bed, shining the flashlight partially in Jacey's direction so he could see her. “I love you.”

“Love you, too.” Daryl choked on those words though, because no matter how many times they were said to him or how often he returned them, the battered and neglected little boy in him continued to have a hard time believing that they could possibly be true.

Closing the door behind him, Daryl headed towards the bedroom he shared with Sam and their daughter, who slept in a crib tucked into the corner for the time being. Opening the bedroom door, he froze in the threshold at the sight before him. The golden glow of flickering candles lit the room, allowing him to watch as Sam rocked their daughter slowly while she suckled at Sam's breast. The pale silk of Sam's periwinkle robe was open to bare her creamy breast to their daughter's greedy mouth, tiny fingers wrapped around Sam's index finger and he knew that bright blue eyes stared up at Sam while she sang softly to her.

_“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine...You make me happy when skies are grey...You never know, dear, how much I love you...Please don't take my sunshine away.”_ The love she held for her daughter filled her voice and hit him straight in the heart, nearly knocking Daryl over with the force of her affection. It was then that Sam noticed him in the doorway and she looked up at him with a soft smile on her face as she repeated the last words of the song for their daughter. Stepping fully in to the room, Daryl closed the door behind him and crossed over to them. “Sorry for interrupting.”

“You didn't interrupt. She's almost finished.” Sam said as she rubbed the pad of her thumb over the tiny pale fingers grasping at her index finger. Sleepy eyes stared up at her, beneath partially closed eyelids framed in thick black lashes. “Aren't you, baby girl? Say you don't eat nearly as much as your big brother used to, do you?”

“Here, I'll burp her. You go on to bed.” Daryl held his hands out and took the baby out of Sam's arms, immediately placing her against his shoulder and rubbing her back softly. Knowing she preferred to be walked around during the burping process, Daryl proceeded to pace back and forth along the width of the bedroom while Sam was in the bathroom. The burp that escaped the mouth of Beth Ann was truly deserving of the Dixon name and caused Daryl to shake his head at the uncouth behavior of such a pretty little girl, as well as applaud her belching abilities.

As he was laying her down in the crib, the bathroom door opened and Daryl was able to watch out of the corner of his eye when his wife let the silky robe slide off her arms before she crawled in to bed without a stitch of clothing on. The suddenly alert dick in his pants appeared to have noticed also, judging by the partial stiffy he was sporting all of the sudden. He glanced down at his daughter, whose eyes were closed and hopefully on the way to sleepy town, and had about a five second mental debate with his hard on. On one hand, Sam was exhausted and deserved a good night's sleep, while on the other, it had been a whole week since they'd had sex and he really wanted to have sex.

As per usual, his dick won out on the argument and Daryl blew out the candles on the dresser and headed towards the bed, all the while chucking his clothes with each step. Naked, he slid into the bed next to Sam and eased across the mattress until he was pressed against the naked flesh his body craved. For a split second, he thought that maybe Sam had already fallen asleep or that maybe she wasn't interested, but the slow movement of her hips that caused her ass to press back against his cock proved his doubtful mind wrong.

“I'm supposed to be sleeping.” Her softly spoken words barely penetrated the air around them, exhaustion and the ever present caution to not wake the sleeping baby lowering her voice to a sultry whisper.

“We don't gotta do nothing.” Daryl replied, his feelings only slightly hurt by what his mind perceived as a refusal, but the feeling of Sam's hand snaking between their bodies to wrap around his dick proved him wrong. “You sure?”

“Did you get a condom?” Was her only response as she stroked him slowly to full attention. While she thoroughly enjoyed the feel of Daryl buried inside of her body without anything standing between them, two babies in two years was more than enough for her at the current moment. She heard him curse softly and slide out of her grasp as he rolled over to grab a condom out of the side drawer, knowing the expletive was directed towards him forgetting to get protection before propositioning her and not because she wanted him to wear a condom. Although, the protection may or may not guarantee that nothing would come from their interlude, given it had expired at that point, but it was worth trying. They'd had the discussion on having more children fairly recently and they both agreed that it was in their best interest, and sanity, to wait a little while before trying again, if possible.

Rolling over on to her back, Sam reached for him in the near darkness, only the solitary candle on the nightstand offering up any light in the room, and slid her hand over his abdomen while he cursed once again, this time ever so slightly louder and with more force to it. “Daryl, hurry up. I need you.” Sam whined, her whisper filled with the desire that had built up quickly.

“Can't find a damn condom.” Daryl muttered with frustration coating his words. He slammed the top drawer and froze at the sound, glancing back towards the crib with fear etched on his face. After a breath passed and no sound of annoyance came from their daughter, he pulled open the bottom drawer and shoved around the items located there and nearly shouted with triumph when his hand closed around the edge of one lone foil packet tucked away in the bottom. As he tore open the packet and sheathed himself, Daryl made a mental note to make a trip to the supply store soon and pray that they had another box on hand, one that somehow wouldn’t be past its use by date.

“Mmm, that's better.” Sam breathed as Daryl settled between her legs, the feel of his body, and the weight of him pressed against her, both comforting and sensual at the same time. Hugging his hips with her thighs, Sam guided him towards the wet heat at the apex of her thighs, her body already desperate for him to be inside of it. She arched towards him as he slid inside, stretching her, filling her, completing her in one long thrust.

Daryl buried his head in the crook of Sam's neck, teasing the soft skin there with his lips and teeth; licking, nipping and suckling. When she arched up towards him, he ran his tongue down over her collarbone and down her heated flesh until his lips located the rosy nipple they sought. Closing his mouth around the pert peak, he gently lavished attention to the sensitive pebble and tasted the sweetness of her there; not at all disturbed by the droplets of milk that landed on his tongue.

He moved his head back up her body and captured her lips, crushing his kiss to them passionately. Sam groaned into his mouth and bucked her hips against his, urging him to lay claim to her body. Thrusting in to her deeply, eliciting a sensual moan of desire from her lips, he slid a hand down her body and grabbed hold of one toned thigh to pull it upwards to allow him to delve inside her further, to fill her completely.

Moving together, they met one another thrust for thrust and filled the bedroom with their sensuous moans of desire. Their coupling was hurried, the need inside both of them sparking higher with each thrust, each taste of the others lips, and passionate groan. Sam's climax came far too soon for either of them, but the cry that slipped past her lips and smile that filled her face, and even the sharp scoring of her short nails on his back, was worth it for Daryl. His body eagerly followed her over the edge, grunting his climax with his head buried in the curve of her neck, while his body jerked and spasmed long after his release.

When he was fairly certain his shaking legs would hold his weight long enough to retreat to the bathroom to clean up, Daryl regretfully slid from Sam's sweat glistened body and off the bed. After disposing of the used condom and using the restroom, he went back into the bedroom and wasn't at all surprised to find Sam in the same position that he'd left her, fast asleep and snoring softly. Leaning over, he blew out the candle and crawled back onto the bed with her, careful not to disturb her too much as he maneuvered their bodies so that he was holding her in his arms. He pulled the blankets up over them and kissed the top of Sam's head. “I love you.”

“Love you, too.” She mumbled sleepily, snuggling tightly against him in search of his body heat. One leg snaked over his as she tossed it over his thigh and rested her hand on his heart. She rolled her head over enough to press a kiss to his chest before adding, “More than anything.”

Daryl laid in the darkness, a sliver of moonlight snaked through the room to rest on the angelic face of the woman in his arms, and the overwhelming feeling of happiness filled his heart. In spite of all the shit that had gone wrong in the world, the hell that they'd endured both with one another and without, he and Sam had somehow managed to make their way back to each other. It had taken a total of fifteen years, since that day all the way back in June of 1999 when he'd rescued her on the side of the road, but he finally had what he had dreamed about since the first day he'd laid eyes on Samantha James Collins. She was the love his life, his wife, the mother of his children...and while he wished parts of those fifteen years since they'd first met had been different, he wouldn't change the way their love story ended if given the chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Farewell, my loverlies.


End file.
